Emery urges Villa to view pressure as a positive motivator in their fight for the Europa League title.

The 2025/26 UEFA Europa League final will be held at the Besiktas Stadium, with Aston Villa facing Freiburg from the Bundesliga for the title. Unai Emery stated that the team faces another challenge and therefore urged them to view the pressure as a positive motivator in their title chase.

With goals from Morgan Rodgers, Watkins and McGinn, Aston Villa secured a 4-2 victory over Liverpool at home in the earlier Premier League match, successfully preparing for their Europa League final.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said, "The most important experience is of course our individual experiences, but we are talking about our shared experience at Aston Villa. We reached the semi-finals of the European Championship three years ago, the quarter-finals of the Champions League last year, and the final this season."

“We have played a lot of games in Europe, and these experiences are very important to us. The process of this season, the experience of last season, and the challenges at different stages, and now moving towards the final is a new chapter. We must bring everything and experience we have accumulated along the way to the pitch tomorrow.”

Emery pointed out, "The so-called process is that we are still building the team and the overall structure, both collectively and individually. This structure includes tactics, as well as how individuals react in different situations. For example, the final is a completely new experience for us tomorrow. Equally important is how we manage our emotions. We have experienced many games, many emotional fluctuations, and a lot of pressure."

“But we need to see the pressure as something positive, not negative, because the pressure comes from fighting for important goals. We do have experience, but the most important thing is the experience we all share here. We are Aston Villa, we have players and fans, and this is how we got here. Of course, we are very aware of how difficult it has been to get here.”

Emery emphasized, "The next step is to play with confidence and with the right attitude. The only way to do that is to maintain extreme focus and intensity tomorrow. Football is very difficult; winning is hard, winning a championship is even harder. Objectively speaking, I'm happy with everything we've done. But I also know that if we don't respect our opponents, we'll be closer to defeat."

"Don't think about what will happen after the game, or how the game will go. Just focus on the first minute, the second minute, the third minute, and completing your task. Also, be ready to do your best at all times to meet tomorrow's challenges. Winning the championship is just the result, the result of the process. If we can perform at our best, we will be very close to victory."

Furthermore, Emery stated, "I am not the 'king' of this competition. I am starting a new chapter at Aston Villa, and the past is the past."

"I cannot win tomorrow's game based on past glories alone. I must work with the current Aston Villa, the current players, to defeat the opponents we will face tomorrow. This is a new journey and a new moment, and hopefully the beginning of a new era."

Image source: Internet