Sport Editor Charlie King believes Villa’s stunning triumph over the German giants could be just the start of their Champions League journey
You could be forgiven for thinking adoration of manager Unai Emery had reached maximum levels in the West Midlands for those of a claret and blue persuasion. However, having stunned German giants Bayern Munich with a 1-0 triumph, a whole new level became apparent.
Super-sub Jhon Duran’s audacious attempt, which sent goalkeeping great Manuel Neuer sprawling, secured Villa’s greatest European night in 42 years. A giddy Villa Park crowd saluted their heroes, Emery very much one of them, for a night they are unlikely to forget. This game seemed to mark the apex of a remarkable transformation for the Villans, but there is much to suggest there could still be more great nights to come.
A giddy Villa Park crowd saluted their heroes
When Emery took over in October 2022, Villa sat three points above the Premier League relegation zone. The fanbase was beleaguered and miserable. For ten years they had watched their side flirt with relegation, and spent five of those wallowing in Championship misery. Everything has changed under the Basque tactician and this is evident in the results. He has turned a struggling Premier league outfit into a team that could represent a genuine European force.
Emery’s tactical nous has been the cornerstone of Villa’s transformation. From early in his reign, Villa became known for their high line, and feared for their habit of out-smarting opponents. This was best seen in back-to-back home win’s over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in December 2023.
Emery’s tactical nous has been the cornerstone of Villa’s transformation
The resources the Spaniard had at his disposal when he arrived have been transformed and energised. Ollie Watkins, whilst always a handful for defenders, has become a deadly finisher capable of giving any defence trouble and guaranteed to give you 20 goals a season. Virtually every player in the squad has improved to some extent. This, combined with some smart recruitment in the purchases of Pau Torres, Amadou Onana, and Morgan Rogers, has turned Villa into an outfit to be feared.
The win over Bayern Munich exemplified the cogent unit Villa have become. They restricted a team with an embarrassment of riches in the attacking department to very few good chances. There was still, of course, time for some Emi Martinez heroics, producing a brilliant save from a Harry Kane header, but at no point did it seem a fluke that Emery’s men would go on to win this game. They looked a team capable of going toe-to-toe with all-comers, as they have been doing so in the Premier League since Emery’s arrival. An assured 3-0 victory away in Switzerland against Young Boys in the first matchday further reinforces the need to take Villa seriously. A commanding 6 points from 2 games is also helpful.
Villa will not approach any of their remaining Champions League assignments during the league stage with any sense of trepidation or fear. Home ties against Bologna, Juventus, and Celtic are all, on paper, more winnable than facing Bayern Munich. Trips to Club Brugge, RB Leipzig, and Monaco will have their challenges, but there is no reason not to be confident. They have already expertly navigated one away tie, and it is likely that only two more wins from the remaining six fixtures would be good enough for at least a play-off position.
Whilst Villa fans will be emphasising the need to enjoy the journey and not get too far ahead of themselves, it is not unrealistic to think their team could go a lot further than many anticipated. Unai Emery is a European master, having won the Europa League four times. Much of the same squad experienced a long European run last year, albeit in the Conference League, reaching the semi-finals before crashing out to Olympiacos. They should not be over-awed by the European stage.
Unai Emery is a European master
There is also a trend in the last five years of unexpected teams reaching the latter stages. Last year’s finalists, Borussia Dortmund, were not fancied by many. Inter Milan reached the final in 2022 despite being seen as rank outsiders. In 2019, both Ajax and Tottenham went on storied Champions League runs before their incredibly dramatic semi-final clash. The Villa Park faithful will be sincerely hoping they can pull of something similar. If they do, there will be many more famous European nights on the horizon.
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