Villa began the 2026-27 season with disappointing results. They went through their first three Premier League matches with one draw and two defeats. The current struggle for points in the Premier League is a stark contrast to the euphoria Villa experienced at the conclusion of last season.
Reflecting on the recent performances and the need for a victory, Emery noted: “I think the last match…we showed, collectively, some improvements. We started (with) the Premier League as our objective at the end of the season, and we are progressing. Still not enough, because we are not getting good results, but tomorrow is a new test, and a new test in Europe.”
“To be here in Champions League is something fantastic, and how we achieved it we can continue feeling proud of how we did, through finishing fourth in the league and winning in Europe. But it’s a new chapter, and completely different. When we started the project here, the vision we had was in our highest expectation, even maybe was not to be in Europe four years in a row, with two in the Champions League.”