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Unai Emery reveals Aston Villa gear change and the two games he wants to avoid
Unai Emery has explained the shift in mind-set at Aston Villa between the goalless draw and the prevailing over RB Leipzig on Tuesday night - all concerned now are very much eyeing a top eight Champions League finish.
Emery revealed that, after the stalemate with Serie A giants Juve at Villa Park, Villa were pleased to have secured a top 24 finish - that would mean, one way or the other, that Villa's Champions League journey isn't yet done and that, after their final group games against Monaco and Celtic, their campaign remains very much alive.
The idea that Villa could avoid a two-legged game in February as part of the eliminator round - played out by sides who finish between 9th and 24th in the 36-team table - would be a welcome one to Emery and the squad, who will hope to venture far into the FA Cup and of course have their Premier League push to maintain in the second half of the season.
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Avoiding two extra games would suit Emery, but there is work to be done for that eventuality to materialise; points are required against Monaco and Celtic in the New Year. Now, though, Villa - who sit in third but only two points above ninth - are strong candidates for a top eight place following the win over Leipzig, and Emery accepts that.
"We were speaking before the game that it was key," Emery told Amazon Prime Video. "With Juventus at home, we wanted to win but at the end we accepted the point because, more or less, it meant we would be in the top 24. Today was a match where, at the beginning, we were thinking that a win would be key if we wanted to be contenders, ahead of the last two matches, for the top eight.
"Of course, it's going to be difficult and we have to get some points more, but we now have this possibility and we are achieving this option for the next matches. We are going to enjoy these last two matches and of course try and get top eight, but at the end you have to be happy because we are at least in the top 24. We weren't contenders at the beginning, but now we must accept it."
