Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is calling on his players to seize the moment as they prepare for a Champions League second leg clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
Down 3-1 after a tough first leg in Paris, Villa return to a buzzing Villa Park on Tuesday night with the hopes of overturning the deficit and booking their place in the semi-finals – a stage they haven’t reached in Europe’s top competition since their European Cup win back in 1982.
But for Emery, the challenge is more than just tactical – it’s emotional, and deeply tied to legacy.
“We want to write history here with Aston Villa,” said the Spaniard. “Last year we reached the semi-finals of the Conference League. This year, it’s the Champions League. And we want more-we want to be here for a long time.”
Emery, 53, knows a thing or two about European comebacks. While he acknowledged past experiences have gone both ways, he believes the current moment is unique and special.
With only one loss in 13 European home games since taking charge at Villa and riding a 17-match unbeaten streak at Villa Park, the stage is set for something big.
As speculation swirls about future attacking partnerships, Emery hinted at long-term ambitions of pairing Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins up front. But Tuesday night, he suggested, may not be the right time for experimentation.
“We’ve tried Rashford on the left before, and now we’re working on both as strikers. That’s the next step-but not now,” he said. “These things take time, and we’ll get there.”
Meanwhile, midfielder Morgan Rogers echoed the importance of the Villa Park faithful in helping push the team over the line.
“It’s massive,” Rogers said. “We’ve shown we can create an atmosphere in big games-Premier League, Champions League, doesn’t matter. When Villa Park is rocking, it makes a difference.”
Emery agreed, underscoring the power of unity between the team and the crowd.
“If we’re in sync with our supporters, if we’re transmitting positive energy on the pitch, they’ll return it tenfold,” he said. “We need Villa Park to be our fortress-it has been, and now more than ever, it must be.”
