Aston Villa manager Unai Emery expressed his pride in the experiences his team gained this season. Despite their efforts, the Premier League side fell short in the Europa Conference League semi-finals against Olympiacos.
Following a 4-2 defeat in the first leg on home soil, Villa suffered a 2-0 loss in Greece on Thursday. Emery acknowledged the support of the fans, saying, “Congratulations to our supporters. They were with us throughout this journey, and although we are disappointed, we want to thank them for their presence and their efforts to help us overturn the result.”
Reflecting on the match, Emery highlighted the importance of the first half. “We had control of the game and had opportunities to score, but unfortunately, we couldn’t convert them,” he explained. “Olympiacos capitalized on a transition and scored, which ultimately made it difficult for us to come back. Winning in such competitions is incredibly challenging, but we must use this experience to grow and learn for future campaigns.”
Emery emphasized that Villa’s focus now shifts back to the Premier League, where they are pursuing their objectives. “We are fighting for an amazing goal in the Premier League,” he stated. “Firstly, we have secured a spot in the Europa League next year, which shows our improvement. Secondly, we have a chance to qualify for the Champions League.”
Acknowledging the difficulty of this task, Emery called for the support of the fans and urged his team to quickly shift their mindset towards their upcoming match against Liverpool on Monday. “We need to change our mentality swiftly and concentrate on the Liverpool game,” he concluded.
In summary, while Aston Villa may have fallen short in the Europa Conference League, Emery remains optimistic about their progress and future prospects. The team’s focus now turns towards their Premier League campaign and their pursuit of European qualification.
