'Unai Villa'

Four years after his appointment, Emery has transformed Aston Villa into Champions League contenders, winning the Europa League and competing at the highest level despite strict financial constraints.

On 24 October 2022, Unai Emery was announced as Aston Villa's new manager, tasked with revitalizing the Birmingham club that had not won a major trophy since 1996. Four years on, Villa are unbeaten in the Champions League this season, won the Europa League in May, and sit among the Premier League's elite after finishing fourth last year.

Emery's achievement is remarkable given Villa's financial restrictions under the Squad Cost Ratio rules, which limit club spending to 85% of football-related revenue. Despite having to sell key players—Rogers to Chelsea for £117m, Tielemans to Manchester United for £35m, Konsa to Arsenal for £55m, and Watkins to Al-Hilal for £51m—Emery has maintained competitive standards. Last Saturday, Villa beat Manchester City 2-1, a prestigious victory ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash at Barcelona.

With full sporting control at the club and supported by a team of Spanish technical staff, Emery has guided Villa through constant squad reconstruction while competing across four competitions. The manager's priorities now are securing Premier League points and reaching the Champions League knockout stages.