Unai Emery described Aston Villa’s latest victory as a “fantastic” and “brilliant” night after his side secured Champions League football with a memorable 4-2 win over Liverpool FC at Villa Park.
The result marked Villa’s first win against Liverpool since Emery arrived at the club, and it came at the perfect time — in front of a packed home crowd on the final Villa Park matchday of the season.
The victory lifted Villa above Liverpool into fourth place and guaranteed a top-five finish with one game still to play. Speaking after the match, Emery praised both his players and the supporters for helping create a special atmosphere on an unforgettable evening.
He admitted the achievement meant a great deal to everyone connected with the club.
It was absolutely fantastic,” Emery said. “The supporters were incredible, and the players gave everything. We’re very grateful because this is a huge achievement for the club.
The Villa boss also pointed to the significance of finally overcoming Liverpool, a side Villa had failed to beat since his arrival.
Since I came here, we hadn’t beaten Liverpool. Tonight was the first time, and I think we deserved it, he explained. “It was a difficult game, especially in the first half, but we improved after the break and showed our quality.
Emery believes Villa’s return to the Champions League reflects the club’s steady progress over the last two seasons. He highlighted how demanding the campaign has been, particularly while balancing domestic and European football.
Our development as a team is clear,” he said. “Playing in Europe has helped us grow, and now we’ve taken another step by qualifying for the Champions League again. Competing at this level is not easy, so what the players have done is something special.
He also praised the energy inside Villa Park, calling the atmosphere one of the highlights of the season.
With Champions League qualification secured, Villa can now turn their full attention to Wednesday’s Europa League final against SC Freiburg.
Emery admitted reaching the Champions League removes some pressure heading into the final and allows the team to focus completely on trying to win silverware.
Now we can be free to focus on the final and fight for a trophy,” he said. “The Premier League was our first objective, and we achieved that by qualifying for the Champions League.”
Despite the excitement surrounding the club, Emery urged his players and supporters to stay calm and focused ahead of the final.
“We’re very happy and very proud, but this is not the moment for big celebrations, he added. “We respect our opponent, and we know it’s a 50-50 match. Hopefully, after Wednesday, we’ll have even more to celebrate.
