Tribal Football

Emery lays out Champions League expectations for Villa players

Emery lays out Champions League expectations for Villa players
Emery lays out Champions League expectations for Villa playersAction Plus
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has opened up about their Champions League hopes.

The Midlands club are set to take on Young Boys in Switzerland in their first group stage game.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Days after a solid Premier League win over Everton, they are now hoping to get their first Champions League win in decades.

Emery told reporters: ““We’re excited. It’s a good moment for the club after a long time, playing again in the Champions League.

“Hopefully we can keep it for a long time again.

“It’s really our challenge, and my own challenge was to get Europe; last year we got it playing Europa Conference League and now in the Champions League, trying to keep it.

“We know how difficult it is. To play again in the Champions League is, more or less, through the Premier League and there are 7-8 teams being favorites or contenders to get it.

“But we have to try to enjoy each match, each moment.

“And now we are starting in this competition, we are, of course, very motivated.

“We can use our own experiences as coaches because we’ve played in the Europa Conference League, Europa League and the Champions League. And some players as well have played.

“The most important experiences for us are the experiences we had last year, here together.

“We want to build and create a new way here together for Aston Villa, with the players we are adding, the first time playing in Europe here or last year.

“The first message I can send them is I want to be competitive and face each team, tomorrow Young Boys and afterwards Bayern Munich, being competitive like we are in the Premier League.

“The difficulty is to compete in the Premier League, being there in the tough positions like last year.

“And similarly, we have to do that here in this competition because, more or less, the best teams in the world are in the Champions League and the Premier League.

“Last year we learned a lot about what it’s like to play away, against other teams in other countries.

“Tomorrow, here in in Switzerland, I played before against other teams here, and always it’s very difficult.”