Unai

Emery replaced Steven Gerrard as Villa manager in October 2022 with Villa hovering just above the relegation zone on goal difference.

The former Arsenal and Villarreal boss brought with him his own backroom staff, with many of the old guard departing.

Former Sevilla goalkeeper Monchi also joined as Villa’s president of football operations in June 2023 – having previously worked with Emery at Sevilla and winning three Europa League titles together.

Emery immediately made an impact, imposing structure, clarity and belief on a Villa side that was once again flirting with relegation to guide them to a top‑seven finish and European qualification in his first season.

The following campaign proved the progress was no fluke.

Turning Villa Park into a fortress, they established themselves as a top‑four contender during 2023-24 while also reaching the semi-finals of the Conference League, where they were beaten 6-2 on aggregate by Olympiakos.

“The first year we got here in the Conference League, a lot of us hadn’t played in Europe so when we got to the latter stages there was a lot of pressure,” Watkins said.

“Each year we’ve learned and taken something from it. And to trust the manager because he’s so experienced in this competition. He’s won it numerous times so we believe in what he tells us and keep going.”

A first taste of top-tier European competition since 1982-83 came last season when they reached the Champions League quarter-finals against Emery’s former side Paris St-Germain.

And on their way to the last eight, they posted memorable league-stage wins against Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig while also holding Juventus to a goalless draw.

And this season’s run on the continental stage further underlines their upward trajectory under the Spaniard.

“It’s an amazing achievement for us to progress to the semi-finals and to go one step further than last year in the Champions League,” Watkins said.

“We’re really enjoying being in this competition and this is where we want to be, in the semi-finals.”

Emery told TNT Sports: “I’m very happy. We were organised and tried to impose our ideas and style, which is not easy against Bologna.”

“We are so happy with the way we are performing in this competition. It was fantastic. We are in the semi-finals, but there is still work to do.”

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says his side are feeling “motivated and excited” at the prospect of qualifying for the Champions League next season, after their 1-1 draw away to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

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Emery became the quickest Villa manager to 100 wins with victory in France last week.

Villa Park marked the achievement with fans holding up ‘Emery 100’ cards as the teams walked out.

He knows how to get the job done and, with Villa searching for their first trophy in three decades, the end of the drought is in sight.

Villa did what was necessary against Lille, even if the performance still lacked the style, tempo and class they have produced this season.

Those levels remain from their stumble in the Premier League, with just two wins from 10 games, which has added jeopardy, something which did not look likely at the start of the year.

Overhauled by Manchester United, Villa – who host West Ham on Sunday – are lucky to still be in the top five, mainly due to Liverpool and Chelsea’s failings.

But Emery, rightly, continues to ask to be judged after 38 games and where they will be at the end of the season.

Last month he was being asked about being in the title race and on Wednesday he pointed out being in Europe and in the top four was just a dream for the club when he took over three and a half years ago.

In his first press conference the former Arsenal and Paris St-Germain boss stated he came to Birmingham to win trophies and Villa have edged a little closer to that goal.

Emery has now reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the eighth time, no other manager has done so more than five times, while Villa have made the quarter-finals of a major European competition in three straight seasons.

“Villa [were] very professional, not outstanding, just doing enough to get to the next round,” Dublin said.

“That’s what they need, but they will have to up their performances if they want to get to the latter stages of the competition.

“I think there is more to come from them. If they do that, they can really surprise a few people.”

Villa’s decision to go for Emery four years ago was a sign of their ambition to make a mark on the European stage.

While they are still well placed in fourth position in the English top flight, as they aim to secure a Champions League berth next term, success in the Europa League would also deliver the same outcome.

However, on Thursday it was just about recapturing their rhythm and some confidence after a winless run of four games domestically that included defeats to Newcastle, Chelsea and bottom club Wolves.

Speaking to TNT Sports, returning captain John McGinn suggested that the result had provided Villa with a “building block” and the opportunity to “reset” after a difficult few weeks.

“We needed a reset. The past month has not been great,” he said.

“We can’t dwell on it. We can learn from it but what we need to do is build and this is a building block. We know we can do a lot better but it is a good result.

“We showed signs of getting back to our best but there’s still a long way to go. Sunday is a massive game in the league as well [at third-placed Manchester United] so it is a tough run of fixtures, but that was a good start.

Meanwhile, Emery said he used the struggles of their Premier League rivals in the Champions League as a motivational tool before kick-off.

He said: “We respect this competition because we know the difficulties of each match away from home in Europe.

“We know how it is for the English teams, like this week in the Champions League, how they were struggling.”