Unai Emery: Aston Villa aims to be Champions League protagonists
Following a 6-0 thrashing of Fenerbahce, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery highlighted the club's ambition in the Champions League.
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Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery reflected on his side's dominant performance against Fenerbahce in the Champions League. The Birmingham club secured their first home win of the 2026/27 season with a decisive 6-0 victory. Nicolas Jackson and Ross Barkley both scored braces, while Yohan Manzambi and Tammy Abraham also found the net.
Despite the emphatic scoreline, the Spanish manager remained pragmatic. Emery noted that the first half was not as comfortable as the result suggests, with goalkeeper Suzuki making crucial interventions to keep the score level early on. Tactical adjustments at halftime proved effective as the team controlled the game and added three more goals.
We are very happy with our first home win of the season, but I was not very satisfied with how we acted in the first half. The opponent did not score only because our goalkeeper Suzuki played fantastically. Unai Emery
The night was particularly memorable for Yohan Manzambi, who celebrated his 21st birthday by scoring on his Champions League debut. Emery praised the successful integration of his new players, acknowledging that the team is still working on finding the right balance following a busy summer transfer window.
Aston Villa now sits third in the table with 6 points. Emery expressed clear ambitions, stating that the club wants to be among the primary protagonists in this season's Champions League campaign.