Aston Villa head into their Champions League match against Club Brugge with hope. Boss Unai Emery wants his team to forget a poor Premier League start.
Villa have no wins in their first three league games. Emery saw progress in Saturday’s goalless draw at Hull. He believes that can spark better results.
“I think the last match… we showed, collectively, some improvements,” Emery said. “We started [with] the Premier League as our objective at the end of the season, and we are progressing. Still not enough, because we are not getting good results, but tomorrow is a new test, and a new test in Europe.”
Last season Villa finished fourth and won the Europa League. They thumped Freiburg 3-0 in the final in Istanbul. That success feels distant now after the early struggles.
Emery remains proud of the path. Villa reached the Champions League after Conference League runs and Europa League glory.
“To be here in Champions League is something fantastic, and how we achieved it we can continue feeling proud of how we did, through finishing fourth in the league and winning in Europe,” he added. “We started playing Conference League, we played together in the Champions League two years ago, and last year in another competition, in the Europa League, we were successful. But it’s a new chapter, and completely different.”
Villa lost 1-0 to Club Brugge in the last Champions League meeting in November 2024. Brugge have won four of five league games this season. The contrast is clear.
Villa miss Johan Manzambi through a knee injury. He stayed home. João Gomes is back from suspension. Leon Goretzka remains out until after the international break.
“Goretzka’s issue is a bit frustrating, but we have players who can replace him,” Emery said. “When he’s coming back, hopefully he can get the consistency in training and playing and we can add his experience. He is a player who will help us in different competitions with the level he has.”
