- Villa have won both matches so far in their return after a 41-year absence
- They will host Serie A club Bologna at Villa Park on Tuesday in the third round
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Unai Emery has challenged Aston Villa to become genuine Champions League contenders and ‘continue to break barriers’ as they battle Europe’s football elite.
Villa have made it two wins from two for the first time in 41 years in their return to Europe’s top club competition and will be favorites against Serie A club Bologna at Villa Park on Tuesday.
Emery is approaching his two-year anniversary as Villa boss, having replaced Steven Gerrard on October 24, 2022. When he took over they were at risk of relegation, but have since established themselves as one of the best teams in England.
“I don’t know how far we’re going to go, but at the moment we’re here, in a good position in the Premier League and the Champions League,” Emery said.
‘I don’t want to waste my time here and that is the message for everyone. We have shown that we can adapt quickly to European competition, both this season and last year in the Europa Conference League.
Unai Emery has urged Aston Villa to try and win the Champions League on their return to the competition
Villa are in good form and will host Serie A side Bologna at Villa Park in a bid to maintain their perfect start
They defeated Bayern Munich last time and were able to win three out of three on Tuesday
‘We want to maintain the level we are at now, perform well in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League, and add something more to it, such as being a contender for a trophy.
‘Is the sky the limit? This is the message. We love football, we love our work and we want to be successful. One of our objectives is to play in the Champions League.
‘I want to continue playing in this competition for a long time and that is difficult. Sometimes we may have some problems, but we need a strong mentality to break barriers.”
Villa started their campaign with a 3-0 win over Young Boys in Switzerland, but the 1-0 win over Bayern Munich at Villa Park was one of the club’s most important results for many years.
Emery said he wants his team to know ‘the sky is the limit’ as they look to maintain their form in Europe’s elite competition
It proved beyond doubt that Villa are a force to be reckoned with at the top level and that score means they will be viewed with newfound respect across the continent.
Defender Matty Cash said: “In the four years since I joined the club has gone through the roof. The quality in every department has increased and the club has no ceiling. It can go all the way to the top.”
