Aston Villa’s Head Coach Unai Emery Reflects: “I Take Immense Pride in Our Achievements”

Aston Villa, having narrowly missed out to Paris St Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals, are now setting their sights on securing a return to Europe’s elite club competition next season.

“I take immense pride in what we achieved in the Champions League,” stated Villa manager Unai Emery, reflecting on the thrilling encounter with PSG. Although his side triumphed 3-2 in the second leg, they ultimately lost 3-1 in the first leg, resulting in a 5-4 aggregate defeat.

The team currently sits seventh in the Premier League but is just one point shy of the fifth position, which would grant them a spot in the Champions League once more.

“The priority now is regaining our place in Europe. The Champions League is the pinnacle of competition. Our challenge over the final six matches of the Premier League is to secure European football and a spot in the Champions League,” Emery added.

His pride in Villa’s commendable performance, following a four-decade absence from top-tier European football, was dampened by the frustration of coming so close to a stunning comeback, particularly as they nearly netted a fourth goal at Villa Park that would have equalised the tie on aggregate.

“We were very close,” he remarked, emphasising the need for his team to push for even greater achievements. “There’s still a bit more to improve upon, to reach our goals.”

Aston Villa captain John McGinn, who found the back of the net on Tuesday, shared his thoughts on the match.

“There’s an obvious disappointment, but I’m proud of my teammates and the club. We’ve made significant progress. We were so, so close tonight, yet just fell short,” he noted.

“We had opportunities to take this match into extra time, but we can hold our heads high about how we fought back against one of the best teams in the world. We aspire for more and aim to return here next season, giving our absolute best to achieve that.”

McGinn expressed that the players left everything on the pitch against a formidable opponent. “We never backed down. It was chaotic, but we put in our utmost effort, and I believe every Aston Villa supporter will walk away with a deep sense of pride,” he said.

“I’ve never faced teams like Real Madrid or Barcelona, but in my career, PSG are the finest I’ve come up against. As I get older, I’m certainly not keen on facing them regularly.”