Aston Villa secured Champions League qualification; Emery pledged to go all out for the Europa League title.

In the 37th round of the 2025-26 Premier League season, Aston Villa defeated Liverpool 4-2 in their final match at Villa Park.

This victory not only marked manager Unai Emery's first win against Liverpool since taking charge of Aston Villa, but also helped the team overtake Liverpool to fourth place in the standings, securing a Champions League spot for next season with only one round remaining in the league.

After the match, Emery couldn't hide his excitement in an interview with the club's official television channel, praising the night with a series of words. He expressed his gratitude to the team and supporters: "Absolutely incredible, fantastic."

“I am very, very grateful for the support of the fans, and equally very grateful to the players. This achievement is truly incredible. I hadn’t beaten them since I came here, and today is my first victory.”

Looking back on the team's journey back to the Champions League this season, Emery believes the team's efforts deserved a reward: "It was truly wonderful, and we deserved it. Of course, it was a tough process; the first half was a hard-fought battle, but we improved in the second half."

“I think our growth is logical, and being able to play in the Champions League is a step further. Competing like we have this year is a wonderful thing because it requires a tremendous amount of effort.”

This victory also clears Aston Villa's worries for their upcoming crucial match. Next Wednesday, Aston Villa will face Freiburg in the Europa League final. Emery admitted that securing a top-four finish in the league has relieved the team of a burden: "Now, we can play this trophy-dealing final without any pressure."

“Our initial plan was to fight for both the trophy and Champions League qualification. But the Premier League remains our primary objective. Respect our opponents; the odds of winning are 50/50. Now is not the time to celebrate. We must try to stay calm and hopefully celebrate properly after Wednesday.”

Image source: Internet/Aston Villa official website