Exclusive: Determined Unai Emery aims to secure a spot in the Champions League with Aston Villa.

Unai Emery, the Aston Villa manager, has expressed his desire to see his team continue to progress and aim for a spot in the UEFA Champions League. Emery, who joined the club in 2022, has already secured qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League in his first season in charge.

Currently, Villa are in the semi-finals of the Conference League and sit in fourth place in the Premier League, putting them in a strong position to potentially qualify for the Champions League next season.

In an exclusive interview with TNT Sports, Emery emphasized his motivation to achieve even greater success with Villa. He spoke about the work that still needs to be done and the challenges that lie ahead.

Villa are currently six points ahead of Tottenham in the league, with two more matches played. They have already secured Europa League qualification through the league and have a chance to win their first trophy since 1996 if they are successful in the Conference League.

Emery has always had ambitions for this kind of success and hopes that the season can end on a high note with Villa achieving their goals. He mentioned his desire to contend for a trophy, whether it be through the Premier League, Carabao Cup, or FA Cup. Playing in Europe is also a special opportunity for him, as it provides more chances to add matches and build the team.

Qualifying for the Champions League would be a significant achievement for Villa, as it would mark their return to Europe’s premier cup competition for the first time since 1983. Emery believes that competing in the Champions League is the most important and prestigious competition in Europe.

Despite the busy fixture list, Emery is not concerned about the tight turnaround between matches. He believes that playing a lot of matches is beneficial for the team’s development and success. Emery himself has a successful record in UEFA competitions, having won the Europa League four times in his career.

Playing in Europe is always a welcome opportunity for Emery, as it allows him to experience different countries and football cultures. He sees the upcoming Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos as a good test for his team.

Overall, Emery is determined to continue improving and achieving success with Aston Villa. His ambitions include competing in the Champions League and winning trophies, and he is confident in his team’s abilities to rise to the challenge.