Unai Emery interview: Aston Villa manager on the change that has team chasing Champions League qualification

13 May 2025, 08:12 | Updated: 16 May 2025, 18:00

Unai Emery radiates optimism right now. With seven wins from their last eight games, Aston Villa are the coming team in the Premier League’s race for Europe. Two more wins and Champions League football could be theirs again next season.

"I am really excited," Emery tells Sky Sports. Speaking at the club's training ground, he is in no mood for a break. "I do not want holidays now. I am really full of energy, motivated by how we are playing now, how we are competing." But this is not about him, he insists.

"What is interesting to me is how the supporters and the players are feeling now about where we are. We were behind Nottingham Forest and behind Chelsea, maybe eight or nine or 10 points behind them." In fact, the gap was 10 to Forest at the start of February.

"But we were progressively getting better, reducing that gap. Of course, there are games still to play and it is not enough yet." But with two left, Villa are above Forest and only out of the top five on goal difference, with Tottenham and Manchester United to come.

"I am telling the players, we have to enjoy the process, enjoy playing. It is not only about the result at the end. It is about how we are performing and how we are struggling sometimes. That is good as well because those experiences can help us in the future."

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