""The only idea is to be the first in the table, but with our experience three years ago in the Conference League and last year in the Champions League and how we were managing in different moments - the process," Emery said in his press conference. "Our objective is to win every match, but we lost one. There is another team in front of us, and we have to try to get three points to be contenders to be in the top eight and to avoid the play-off.""
""This match will be played three years to the day of Emery's first game in charge of Villa - they have won 12 of their 14 home European games (including qualifiers, D1 L1) under the Spaniard. They have won all four in 2025 (three in the Champions League last season, 1-0 v Bologna this season). And Emery is keen to avoid having to participate in the play-offs for the knockout round, just as they did in the Champions League last season.""
Aston Villa sit 10th in their Europa League group after wins over Bologna and Feyenoord and a shock 2-1 defeat to Go Ahead Eagles. The side are three points off the top and a win could move them into the top eight at the halfway stage. The match falls three years to the day since Emery's first game in charge; Villa have won 12 of 14 home European fixtures under Emery and all four home matches in 2025. Emery aims to avoid the knockout play-offs and seeks corrections after the Go Ahead Eagles loss. Opta gives Villa a 30% chance to win the competition and an 81% probability to win the Thursday match.
Read at Soccer News
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