Unai Emery, the master of the Europa League, could prove to be Aston Villa's ultimate trump card as they prepare for the final against Freiburg. The Spanish manager has won the competition four times previously—three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal—and is now seeking a record-extending fifth triumph. Players hope their workaholic boss will finally let his hair down if he succeeds in Istanbul.
Emery's Europa League Legacy
Two years ago, during Aston Villa's first European campaign under Emery, Vicente Iborra, a player who has won all four of Emery's Europa League titles, spoke about the manager's attention to detail. Iborra recalled Emery's philosophy: 'In order to find yourself in a final, one truly has to want that, one has to long for it.' On Wednesday, Emery aims to lift the trophy again, having reached the final six times and losing only once with Arsenal.
Villa's Journey Under Emery
When Emery took over in 2022, Villa were 16th in the Premier League, three points off the bottom. He transformed the club, guiding them to seventh, then fourth and sixth, securing European football for three consecutive seasons. This campaign, they will finish fourth or fifth, arguably his most impressive achievement despite being overlooked for the Premier League manager of the season award.
The season started poorly, with Villa winless in their first six league matches. But a first win in the Europa League against Bologna sparked a turnaround. Emery and his staff intensified preparations, asking players to convene before noon on matchdays for meetings. Defender Pau Torres, who won the Europa League under Emery at Villarreal in 2021, said: 'For us to win a trophy is important. For the fans, these are the most important things: to enjoy these games and hopefully celebrate together.'
Emery's Meticulous Approach
Players describe Emery as hands-on, often physically moving them like mannequins to illustrate his points. Video analysis sessions are lengthy; right-back Matty Cash explained that a debrief of the semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest would take an hour and a half, followed by two hours on Freiburg. 'With what we've got to play for, I think we'd have a three-hour meeting just to get over the line,' Cash said.
Cash noted that Emery is always focused, rarely letting his hair down except after qualifying for Europe. 'He is very demanding of his players and his coaches,' Cash added. Midfielder Youri Tielemans revealed that Emery often remains calm in perceived crises, even cheering up the team at half-time when they feel they are playing badly. 'He said he is proud of us. That's his message to cheer us up and make sure we never give up,' Tielemans said.
Looking Ahead to the Final
On Saturday morning, hours after Villa secured a Champions League place with a resounding win over Liverpool, Emery held a meeting reflecting on their journey. He urged players to maintain their level and go down in history. Last week, Peter Withe, Villa's 1982 European Cup match-winner, observed training and met the squad. Torres said: 'We will face this final in our best moment in the season.'
Ezri Konsa's broad smile when asked about Emery's record in the competition confirms the manager is viewed as a trump card. If Villa win their first trophy for 30 years, Emery and his players will claim the status of immortals. Cash summed it up: 'If you want any man to be leading you into a Europa League final, it's him, because he's done it so many times. The only thing missing is a trophy.'
