Emery Sets High Ambitions for Aston Villa in Europa League
Aston Villa aims to recover from a surprising defeat in the Europa League as head coach Unai Emery sets the target of finishing in the top eight as a minimum goal.
Current Standings and Recent Results
Villa currently hold 10th place in their group. Despite strong wins against Bologna and Feyenoord, they were unexpectedly beaten 2-1 by Go Ahead Eagles in their latest match. The team is only three points behind the leaders, making a win crucial to secure a top-eight position halfway through the league phase.
Milestone and Home Performance
The upcoming match marks exactly three years since Emery’s first game in charge of Villa. Under his leadership, the club has won 12 of 14 home European matches, including qualifiers and the Conference League. In 2025 alone, Villa has remained unbeaten at home, winning all four matches—three from last season’s Champions League and one against Bologna this season.
Emery’s Goals and Strategy
"The only idea is to be the first in the table, but with our experience three years ago in the Conference League and last year in the Champions League and how we were managing in different moments – the process," Emery explained during a press conference.
He emphasized the objective of winning every match despite the recent loss and expressed a clear ambition to avoid the uncertainty of knockout play-offs, as experienced last season in the Champions League.
Summary
Unai Emery demands a top-eight finish in the Europa League for Aston Villa, focusing on consistent wins and leveraging the team’s strong home record to advance confidently in the competition.