Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is determined to establish a “new era” for the club as he returns to Basel’s St Jakob-Park, the venue where he celebrated his third Europa League title with Sevilla in 2016. On Wednesday, Emery recalled the unforgettable moment when his team defeated Jürgen Klopp‘s Liverpool 3-1. He stated, “This competition is so, so special for me. We won here, it was a fantastic day and is a fantastic memory. To remember it is very good.”
Emery’s focus now shifts to guiding Aston Villa to success in this season’s competition. He emphasized, “I want to build a new moment, a new era, a new way with Aston Villa.” Known for his track record in European tournaments, Emery’s expertise positions Villa as one of the favorites for the trophy this year. Following a dramatic stoppage-time victory against Arsenal, the team has won seven consecutive matches, marking them as the Premier League’s form team.
With a win against Basel, Villa could secure 15 points, which would guarantee automatic qualification for the round of 16, based on last season’s inaugural league-phase format. This accomplishment would help avoid a congested fixture list in February, where a playoff could necessitate eight matches in just 28 days. Additionally, a top-two finish in the group, as mandated by UEFA, ensures home advantage for the second leg in the quarter-finals and semi-finals if they advance.
Emery highlighted the importance of aiming for a top-eight finish, stating, “As a priority we can fight to be in the top eight. It would be a small advantage to play the second leg at home. It’s another target.” Villa has demonstrated impressive form, winning 13 of their last 15 matches, with only two losses this season, one being against Liverpool and another at the hands of Dutch club Go Ahead Eagles.
While Villa’s recent performance is commendable, Emery remains cautious about complacency. He noted, “We are analyzing not only when we are being successful and playing fantastic. We lost the last match we played away in Europe and I want us to remind ourselves.”
As Villa prepares for the Europa League clash, Emery faces the challenge of potentially rotating players, especially with a match against West Ham on the horizon. Defender Matty Cash expressed that it may be premature to label Villa as title contenders, adding, “We’ve got to have a bit of Christmas dinner before we think about that.”
The club is also looking to enhance its squad, reportedly working on a €12 million (£10.5 million) deal to sign 19-year-old winger Alysson from Grêmio in January. Villa’s resurgence began on September 21, when they drew with Sunderland, marking their first league goal of the season. Midfielder Youri Tielemans remarked, “We had a conversation around, ‘How can we get back to our level?’ It was down to us players to make it click. Since that day [at Sunderland] we have gone up a level, our standards have stayed really high.”
In a notable development, midfielder Harvey Elliott was absent from the squad that travelled from Birmingham to Basel. Emery acknowledged that the club is seeking a solution regarding Elliott’s situation, who may have played his final match for Villa. The 22-year-old’s last appearance came as a substitute against Feyenoord on October 2. Given Villa’s agreement with Liverpool for a £35 million obligation to buy clause should Elliott reach 10 appearances, his omission suggests a significant shift in his future.
Emery stated, “We are speaking with him and [about] his situation. He is not here with us, hopefully we can get the best for him and for us as well. But, of course, I respect him a lot as a player and I respect him a lot as a person. He is training very well, but we have circumstances with him and hopefully we can find a solution for him as well, to play consistently or to try to continue in his career – with us, together, or not.”
As Aston Villa prepares for their Europa League match against Basel, the stakes are high not only for the team’s immediate success but also for the broader ambitions that Unai Emery is keen to realize.
