Aston Villa has booked their ticket to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1983 when it was still the European Cup.
This comes after Unai Emery guided his Villians outfit to a top-four Premier League spot, in his first full season in charge after Tottenham was beaten 2-0 by Manchester City on Tuesday.
REACTIONS FROM THE CAMP
“It’s a very special day,” Emery said. “It’s our dream, we started the season to be here. We’ve had injuries but the team was always focused. It’s fantastic. To play the Champions League is the best.”
Club captain McGinn said via the clubs website, “On behalf of all the players, it’s been an amazing season. “Obviously, Tyrone and I were at the club in the Championship, us two, Jacob (Ramsey) and Kortney (Hause) were the only ones remaining. “There’s four of us here who were part of that Championship journey.
He added, “We got promoted, we got into the Premier League and were seven points behind with four games to play, we managed to stay in the league. “We kept building and thankfully we’ve achieved something we haven’t done for 40 years. “So, on behalf of all the players and staff, we’re over the moon, we’re delighted.”
“Nobody expected us to be there but we believed in ourselves and believed in our dream,” wrote France defender Lucas Digne on Instagram, “It was hard but the achievement is amazing.”
Centre-half Diego Carlos added, “After more than four decades we are back in the Champions League. We are experiencing a historic season! Up the Villa!”
Fans including the Prince of Wales, who attended Villa’s recent fixture against Olympiakos in the Europa Conference League semi-final, also celebrated the news.
“We are Champions League!” he wrote on X, “A historic season and an amazing achievement. Thanks to Unai, the whole squad and everyone at Aston Villa. Can’t wait for next season.”
THE MAN WITH THE PLAN
Unai Emery has enjoyed an impressive first full season at Villa Park, guiding his side to the Europa Conference League semi-finals and now confirming a top-four Premier League spot for the first time since 1996.
Aston Villa appointed Spanish tactician Unai Emery in October 2022 with the Birmingham-based club in the bottom half of the Premier League, just three points from safety.
The Villains had finished their previous two seasons in 14th and 17th and had been playing in the Championship just three years before that.
Incredibly, only Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal have collected more top-flight points than Aston Villa since Emery arrived at the helm of the once-troubled outfit.
IMAGE: ASTON VILLA