Jacob Ramsey shares what Unai Emery has told Aston Villa about being in Europe next season
Midfielder Jacob Ramsey has revealed that Unai Emery has challenged the Aston Villa squad to produce in 2025 what they've managed to achieve in the first half of the Premier League season in order to ensure they remain in contention for a third straight season in Europe next year.
Villa are currently enjoying a Champions League campaign having qualified with a fourth placed finish last season - that was despite having to juggle a Europa Conference League campaign, in which they reached the semi-finals last spring. This year, although they're going very well in Europe's elite competition, their form has been a little inconsistent by comparison domestically.
Villa welcome Leicester City to Villa Park this weekend hoping to return to winning ways having been well beaten by Newcastle United on Boxing Day and then having dropped two points when leading at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday. They currently find themselves in ninth, but remain only six points off of the Champions League spots and well in the mix for qualification for some kind of European football.
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Ramsey says that Emery is looking to at least double Villa's current haul of 29 points in the remaining 19 league matches - they claimed 68 from their campaign last year which proved to be enough to stave off top four challengers Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United.
“We’re doing well,” he told AVFC. “The boss mentioned it before the Brighton game that if we continue this form and get the same amount of points from the next 19 games then we’ll be in contention for European football. Our home form’s been really good this season. Hopefully the fans can get behind us and we can keep the great form coming.”
Ramsey himself made his long awaited return from injury in the 2-2 draw with Brighton at Villa Park at the beginning of this week; the midfielder, an academy product, picked up another frustrating injury setback in the defeat to Liverpool at Anfield prior to the final international break of 2024, in November.
Having missed the final chunk of last season from March onwards, and then being absent for the last nine games across the Premier League and Champions League, Ramsey is glad to be back after what he described as a 'lonely' spell on the sidelines and is eager to be involved in the forthcoming packed schedule.
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks being injured again, but I was so happy to be back out there with the boys,” he added. “It’s been great being around them again. Sometimes being injured can be lonely when it’s just you and physio. I missed a tonne of games previously, but we’ve got another busy period with the FA Cup and Champions League games as well. I’m hoping that I can stay fit and work my way into the team again.”
