Unai Emery issues Aston Villa challenge ahead of Champions League showdown
Unai Emery has challenged Villa to take down another European heavyweight when they host Juventus.
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Villa have already beaten Bayern Munich this season and know victory over the Italian giants would put them in a strong position for a top eight finish in the Champions League group phase.
But they enter the game in their worst form since Emery took charge two years ago, having not won since beating Bologna 2-0 last month, a run of six matches.
Though the boss was keen to cast his team firmly in the role of underdogs, he is confident they have what it takes to win and take some revenge for Villa’s defeat to the same opponents in the 1983 European Cup quarter-final.
He said: “We want to enjoy tomorrow with our supporters in Villa Park against Juventus.
“It’s a historic team, like Real Madrid in Spain, Bayern Munich in Germany and PSG in France. They are maybe one of the best teams in the world, historically and now. To watch here tomorrow in Villa Park a match like we will face tomorrow is fantastic.
“We want to enjoy it by competing and enjoy it by winning. We’re in the Champions League, trying to be consistent.
“Hopefully we can play lots more years in the Champions League, but now we have to try to face Juventus being competitive and watching how we can face them. Juventus are more or less a favourite to win this competition.”
Villa entered the week sitting eighth in the group phase table after a 1-0 defeat at Club Brugge earlier this month ended their perfect start to the competition.
Boubacar Kamara and Ezri Konsa are available again to Villa after recovering from injury, though Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey remain out. Former Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, who moved to Juventus in the summer for £42.5million, will also miss out through injury.
“I’m confident because the team and players showed me and the supporters the capacity to respond and react quickly in some moments when we weren't as strong as we wanted,” said Emery.
“We have to create our ideal and style to feel comfortable and be strong with the ball and in our defensive shape without it.”
