Aston Villa's Unai Emery Seeks Champions League Redemption Against Former Club PSG
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is set for a dramatic reunion with Paris St-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals, offering him a chance at redemption for what many consider the lowest point of his illustrious European career.
Villa secured their place in the last eight with a commanding 3-0 victory over Club Brugge at Villa Park, completing a comprehensive 6-1 aggregate win. This triumph sets up a compelling clash against PSG, who have emerged as a formidable force in this season's competition after eliminating Liverpool.
For Emery, this matchup carries profound personal significance. His tenure at PSG from 2016 to 2018 was marked by a devastating Champions League collapse that continues to haunt his legacy in Paris. Despite winning a league title during his time with the French giants, Emery's PSG suffered one of football's most dramatic reversals against Barcelona in 2017.
After thrashing Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg in Paris, Emery's team suffered an unthinkable 6-1 defeat in the return fixture, conceding three goals in the final seven minutes including Sergi Roberto's decisive 95th-minute winner. Barcelona's coach at the time was Luis Enrique - now in charge of PSG - who described the tie as "a horror movie not a drama," while for Emery it was a scar that has never fully healed.
The upcoming quarter-final represents not just a chance to advance Villa's remarkable European journey, but an opportunity for personal vindication. Emery's reputation as a European specialist has been firmly reestablished in the years since his PSG departure. After a challenging spell at Arsenal, he claimed another Europa League trophy with Villarreal in 2021, defeating Manchester United in the final - his fourth triumph in that competition.
At Villa, Emery has found the control and authority that eluded him in Paris, where he struggled to manage the big personalities in a volatile dressing room. His transformation of Villa has been nothing short of remarkable, breaking into the Premier League's top four last season and now guiding them to the Champions League quarter-finals.
When Villa appointed Emery in October 2022, they were just three points above the relegation zone. Owner Nassef Sawiris showed faith in Emery's abilities despite his mixed tenure at Arsenal, recognizing that reaching a Europa League final and finishing fifth in his sole complete season deserved greater recognition.
That faith has been handsomely rewarded. Villa now operates effectively as "Unai Emery's club," with the Spaniard wielding control over all football aspects. He has brought 23 Spanish coaches to Villa's Bodymoor Heath training headquarters and formed a crucial partnership with Monchi, the club's president of football operations and his former colleague at Sevilla.
The upcoming tie against PSG will be subject to Emery's renowned attention to detail and meticulous video analysis. His ability to improve players continues to shine through, as evidenced by Marcus Rashford's revival during his loan spell from Manchester United. Similarly, Marco Asensio, a long-term target for Emery, has flourished at Villa, scoring seven goals in eight games, including a double against Brugge.
Despite a mixed Premier League campaign, Villa remain within touching distance of the top four, sitting just four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. They also have an FA Cup quarter-final against Championship side Preston North End on the horizon.
Speaking about his return to Paris, Emery said: "To play in the quarter-final is fantastic. It is very difficult. It will be a huge challenge for Aston Villa, for the supporters, for the players, the coaches and me. I didn't come back there since I left, I didn't go there playing or visiting in Paris."
He added: "Paris St-Germain showed their capacity against Liverpool. We are going to try to identify their weaknesses and prepare as best as possible. It's very important for our club to be in the Champions League, to play against PSG is something to be excited about."
Once again, Unai Emery finds himself on a European mission, but this time with the opportunity to exorcise the ghosts of his Parisian past.
