UEmery took a deep breath, digested the question, and gave a thoughtful response. Not long ago, staff in UEFA uniforms hurriedly erected a UEFA-branded backboard in a nondescript room at Aston Villa’s training ground, Bodymore Heath, while the manager The conversation soon turned to their pursuit of Champions League qualification.
Will Emery be able to take a quiet moment amid a congested schedule to reflect on the progress his team has made in little more than 18 months since he took over a team just outside the Premier League relegation zone that relies solely on goals? ? “At the beginning of the season, where we are now is probably the best we could have hoped for,” he said.
Emery has guided Villa to the semi-finals of a major European competition for the first time since lifting the European Cup in Rotterdam in 1982, and it promises to be an exciting night when Olympiacos visit Villa Park on Thursday. Villa have tried to create a pre-match atmosphere in recent weeks by changing where their team buses drop off players. It’s no longer a case of jumping off the coach and going straight to the players’ entrance. Emery and his players now exit the bus at Trinity Road, near a statue of former club chairman and Football League founder William McGregor, before walking through a hazy tunnel of deep burgundy and blue.
“When you show up with the lights and the fans singing, it gives you the right boost,” guard Marty Cash said. “It’s something we talked about as kids. It’s going to be another special night.
Vera’s European tour has already included visits to Alkmaar, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Lille, Mostar and Warsaw. They fly to Athens next week for a decisive second leg, but before that they travel to Brighton in the Premier League. Villa’s steady pursuit of a top four throughout the season with a thin squad has been impressive, but while nothing is set in stone yet, it’s perhaps not recognised, given their efforts in Europe. In February, Boubacar Kamara became Villa’s third player to suffer a season-ending knee injury. Youri Tielemans will miss the first leg with a groin problem and Emiliano Martinez is also suspended for his controversial but ultimately heroic antics in Lille’s penalty shootout .
Robin Olsen will serve as acting goaltender. Olsen, who has played 73 times for the Swedish national team and represented Copenhagen in the Champions League, came to the team as Martinez’s substitute after leaving Roma two years ago. “When he plays, he succeeds with his characteristics and the performance we want,” Emery said. “It’s very difficult here with Amy, but Robin is always very respectful of the situation and wants to help us when we can get him on the field.”
Emery restored the club’s pride at double speed. Villa could qualify for the Champions League as early as Sunday if Tottenham fail to beat Chelsea and Liverpool this week. “We’ve made a statement over the past year and a half since the manager came on board,” Cash said. “We started really strong with him from the start and did well to get into the divisional league, finishing seventh last year and now we’re making a big splash to get into the Champions League.
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“If you finish in the top four and win European competitions, it’s a special season. That’s what we want to do as a team and as a club, but there’s still a lot of work to do. It’s [typical] The top six have more conversations than us [we] perhaps [don’t get] It’s an honor we deserve, but we can continue to be underdogs and still win. That’s the best thing, isn’t it?
