Unai Emery sets next Aston Villa challenge after brave Champions League fightback
Proud boss Unai Emery set Villa the challenge of returning to the Champions League next season after their thrilling quarter-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Villa came close to pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in the history of European football after fighting from 5-1 down on aggregate, before eventually being edged out 5-4.
Their 3-2 win at Villa Park ultimately fell just short but Emery’s focus has already switched to securing a top-five Premier League finish this season.
He said: "It is now most important to get Europe again. The most important competition is the Champions League.
“The challenge we have for the last six matches is to try and get Europe and the Champions League.
“I’m so proud and so happy and confident how we are doing this way and how we are increasing our standard and demands and we are finishing in quarter-final and hopefully we can come back quick to play in the Champions League.
“This is the next objective for us and the next game in the Premier League.”
PSG, leading 3-1 from the first leg, appeared in complete control of the tie when Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes put them two up on the night and four goals clear on aggregate.
But Villa came roaring back, Youri Tielemans scoring before half-time before John McGinn and Ezri Konsa netted in the space of two second half minutes.
Gianluigi Donnarumma brilliantly denied Marcus Rashford, Tielemans and Marco Asensio as Villa pushed for a leveller.
Emery looked visibly angry at the final whistle, kicking a water bottle in disgust.
Asked about the reason for his reaction, he smiled: “I think we had enough time to try and score one more, we didn’t do it.
“We can feel happy, we can feel proud. We can also feel comfortable about the work we achieved. They showed the next level, but we can still be proud of the way we did in the Champions League.
“I am going to be demanding myself, with the players and with the club as well, how we can get better from today. Of course, every supporter as well was enjoying. We were feeling so, so comfortable and confident.
“I want to say thank you to the supporters and to keep going. To play in Europe again next year is the next objective.”
