Unai Emery targets ‘next step’ for Aston Villa after Champions League heroics

LONDON – Unai Emery believes that there is more to come from Aston Villa, as they exited the Champions League with pride after a thrilling 3-2 second-leg win over Paris Saint-Germain on April 15.

The French champions prevailed 5-4 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals thanks to their 3-1 first-leg lead, but lost at Villa Park for just the second time in 31 matches.

Emery’s men nearly produced one of the most memorable fightbacks in the Champions League.

From 2-0 down on the night, they needed four goals to force extra time and were denied only by a series of stunning saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma after strikes from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ezri Konsa.

“I’m very proud of everything we did in the Champions League. To get to this level is the next step forward that I want to try to build with Aston Villa,” said Emery, who has transformed Villa’s fortunes since taking charge in 2022.

“Today it was fantastic how we were feeling here with our supporters. The crowd was fantastic. They enjoyed it as much as we did.”

Villa’s first foray into Europe’s elite competition since 1983 included a famous victory over Bayern Munich in the group stage.

The team are involved in a tight battle for a place in the competition again next season via a top-five finish in the Premier League.

Villa sit seventh but are just one point behind fifth-placed Manchester City with six games to go.

“Through (the) Premier League is very difficult,” added Emery. “It’s the more demanding objective we can have, which is to get again Champions League.

“The challenge we have now is for the last six matches we are going to play, try to get Europe and try to get Champions League. And in case not, the Europa League or Conference League.”

Marcus Rashford could be key to Villa’s success or failure to meet that objective.

The England international has been reborn since a January loan move from Manchester United and Emery is hopeful of keeping Rashford on a permanent deal next season.

“Probably he’s feeling comfortable, probably he’s feeling better and today he played a fantastic match,” Emery said. “We are happy with him and he’s happy with us.”

The match started with both teams’ players left looking quizzically at each other as the Europa League anthem blared out around Villa Park, instead of the iconic Champions League song.

With Prince William watching, Konsa did a facepalm gesture as he and Tielemans tried to contain their laughter, while PSG’s Fabian Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele exchanged puzzled glances.

Moving forward, PSG’s quest to win the Champions League for the first time remains alive. Luis Enrique’s men were at their brilliant best in the first half, as fullbacks Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes struck inside the first 27 minutes to seemingly put the tie to bed.

But the PSG boss is hoping they will learn from their second-half collapse in time for a tougher test against either Arsenal or Real Madrid in the last four.

“I think I have the best squad in the world, not only the goalkeeper,” said Enrique, when asked whether Donnarumma is the world’s best.

“When you are in a club like PSG, you have a lot of quality players. Gio is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and I have to say that match for us is something that allows us to grow up and try to compete even better.

“On the whole, two matches we deserved to win, and we are very happy because it’s the second year in a row in the semi-finals.”

Arsenal are their likely semi-final opponents as the Gunners took a 3-0 quarter-final, first-leg advantage away to holders Real Madrid on April 16 – the match kicked off after press time.

In the other half of the draw, Barcelona will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in a heavyweight clash.

But PSG are arguably the continent’s form side and, with the Ligue 1 title long since sewn up, can focus entirely on conquering Europe in Munich on May 31. REUTERS, AFP