Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is optimistic his team can qualify for next season’s Champions League as the race heats up to finish in the Premier League top five, Afrosport reports.
The Villains finished fourth last season which saw them return to Europe’s elite competition for the first time since 1982 when they won it.
The Midlands outfit went all the way to the quarter-finals this term before losing 5-4 to Emery’s former team Paris Saint-Germain.
Villa are currently seventh in the league standings but are just three points behind Chelsea who occupy the additional automatic qualification spot for next season’s Champions League, and Emery wants his team to be in it again.
“Our objective is Europe. Again to get Europe, to play next year again in Europe,” the Spaniard said ahead of this weekend’s trip away to Bournemouth.
“We played Conference League last year, Champions League this year, but of course Europe has three options – Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
“[I am] excited [for this match], but also responsible to play again in Europe.
“Of course to play Champions League is the best you can do again, but most difficult. But it is not in our hands – we have to win and wait for other results.”
We head to Bournemouth
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— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 9, 2025
Aston Villa also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup but lost 3-0 to Crystal Palace at Wembley.
