- Unai Emery appreciates the support shown by the Aston Villa owners, stating its what he needs to flourish
- He also outlined his ambitions for next season, and what Villa must do to continue challening at the top of the Premier League
Unai Emery has reflected on Aston Villa’s historic season, whilst setting out his demands for their return to the Champions League. He reveals his appreciation for the owners’ endless support and is keen to continue challenging at the top of the Premier League.
This past season, the Villans shattered all external expectations by securing a top-four finish in the Premier League to bring elite European football back to Villa Park, whilst balancing a Europa League campaign that ended with the trophy in their hands.
By outmanoeuvring clubs with vastly superior financial resources, the tactical mastermind has definitively proven that unity within the club and elite coaching can disrupt the traditional football hierarchy.
Reflecting on this remarkable campaign during a recent interview on the Despejados podcast, the Basque manager shed light on the personal fulfillment and professional harmony driving his long-term project in the West Midlands.
Feels valued at Aston Villa
In the interview, Emery outlines his fundamental need for mutual respect and structural backing, explaining that his best tactical work only flourishes when he feels genuinely appreciated by the club.
He explicitly connects this philosophy to his current environment at Villa, revealing that the club’s board is fully aligned with his ambitious vision.
Furthermore, by praising the owners’ continuous willingness to invest and improve, Emery emphasises that the harmony behind the scenes at Villa Park provides the perfect, stable foundation required to build a sustainable, long-term project.
“I have a very strict personal rule: I need to feel valued and wanted where I am, because that is where people know your work best.
“At Aston Villa, we are currently in a very exciting process of evolution and continuous improvement. Professionally, I feel deeply recognised here.
“The board is fully willing to take steps forward every year to improve the club, which brings me great satisfaction.”
Relentless winning mentality
Detailing his ambitions for the upcoming campaign, the Spaniard delivers a declaration of intent, explaining that his primary objective is to instil an absolute, winning mentality across every front.
Emery explicitly links this ruthless approach to Villa’s immediate future, targeting their upcoming Super Cup clash against European heavyweights PSG.
“We want to win. Win every match. Win every competition. We are going to play in the Super Cup against PSG, and we are going to prepare our squad to win it.
“My process relies on analysing each team’s current window to see where the competitive barriers are and breaking them down.”
Challenging the Premier League elite
Looking closely at the Premier League elite, he recalls how close they were to Manchester City and Arsenal in December, explaining that the club now needs to recruit more physical power and squad depth to permanently sustain their position at the absolute top.
“Aston Villa, with our history, one European Cup, now one Europa League. Our challenge is to win and be able to compete. I don’t know if we are gonna be close to Arsenal or City, but in December, we were two or three points behind them. We need more capacity and muscle to say ‘we are here.'”
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Ultimately, Emery’s powerful words signal that Villa’s current success is merely the baseline of a much larger, more ambitious trajectory.
By pairing the club’s rich European history with a ruthless, modern winning mentality, the manager has constructed a blueprint capable of challenging the sport’s traditional superpowers.
While the winter months highlighted the need for greater quality squad depth, the collective hunger radiating from both the dressing room and the club hierarchy suggests that the Villans are fully aware of what they need to do to continue growing.
Under Emery’s meticulous guidance, Villa is no longer just knocking on the door of the elite; they’re ready to break it down.
