Soccer

Unai Emery knows Champions League top-eight spot is possible for Aston Villa

Villa are third in the new league phase of the competition ahead of Wednesday’s games and with matches against Monaco and Celtic to come.

Unai Emery’s side are enjoying Europe
Unai Emery’s side are enjoying Europe (PA Wire via DPA/PA)
By PA Sport Staff

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has set his sights on automatic qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League after a 3-2 win at RB Leipzig.

Ross Barkley’s 85th-minute goal gave them victory in Germany after goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran early in each half were cancelled out by Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner.

That sent them up to third in the new league phase of the competition ahead of Wednesday’s games and with matches against Monaco and Celtic to come, Villa have an excellent chance of finishing in the top eight.

That would mean they would avoid a play-off round to make it through to the last 16 and Emery says that is the target.

“Today was key. Juventus at home, we were thinking more to win but in the end we accepted the draw because it was important for a point to be more or less in the top 24,” he told Amazon Prime.

“Today was a match we were thinking at the beginning was key to be a contender to be in the top eight with the last two matches to be played.

“It is going to be difficult and we have to get some more points but we now have the possibility to achieve this option.

Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley scored the winner
Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley scored the winner (PA Wire via DPA/PA)

“We are going to enjoy and try to get top eight but we have to be happy because we are in the top 24 and maybe even the top 16.

“We weren’t contenders in the beginning to get there but now we have to accept it.”

Leipzig, who are flying high near the top of the Bundesliga, are out after losing all six matches.

They did pose a threat to Villa, who inflicted some of their own problems on themselves, notably a rare gaffe from goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for Openda’s equaliser.

But Emery was happy with his side’s performance.

“I try to enjoy and always we want to improve and sometimes it is hard but today the team were performing well, playing seriously and I was enjoying it,” he added.

“We tried to overcome the mistakes we made and we did. More or less we were playing consistently. One mistake and they score but then we played very well.

“Champions League is very difficult and we have to expect that every team playing at home are feeling strong. We played with consistency and domination.”