- Aston Villa take on Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon
- A win will secure Champions League qualification if Bournemouth loses or draws to Fulham
- Unai Emery has called the fixture a “huge opportunity”
Following their triumphant Europa League turnaround on Thursday, Unai Emery has wasted no time shifting focus to Sunday’s Premier League trip to Turf Moor. Labelling the clash a “huge opportunity,” the Villa boss knows that three points could mathematically clinch Champions League qualification.
It is a moment of truth for the Villans as they look to turn a remarkable season into a historic reality.
Thursday was a historic night for the club, as they dismantled Nottingham Forest 4-0 by securing a dominant 4-1 aggregate victory in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, they have officially booked their ticket to a first European final in 44 years.
The Villans are now set for a historic showdown on May 20th, where they will face German outfit SC Freiburg in Istanbul with the silverware on the line.
It was their best performance of the season, where every player worked extremely hard to fight for every ball, and press relentlessly at the Forest defence.
Now, they must use that momentum in the Premier League as they take on relegated Burnley. With three games to go, Villa sit in fifth on 58 points, level with Liverpool in fourth. The only team that can catch up to the Villans are Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth, who are sixth on 52 points.
Therefore, if Villa beat Burnley on Sunday and the Cherries fail to win, then Unai Emery’s side will qualify for the Champions League.
As their final two games are against Liverpool and Manchester City, ideally, Villa will want to ensure they get the job done to take the pressure off those matches, and so they can focus on the Europa League final.
Emery calls it a “huge opportunity”
In his pre-match press conference, Emery described the importance of Villa focusing back on the league, and especially on their match with Burnley.
“After (the final), we can win, we can lose. If we are losing, we are not getting a trophy, we are not getting the Champions League position for the next year, and we must, again, watch the league, how we are finishing in the league.
“And of course, the priority to achieve our objective is through the league. And in the league, we are not performing the last matches like more or less we were.
“The consistency is still to try to set the consistency during the league, because of course, our advantage before in some months we did fantastic, is close to (being lost).
“And in Burnley on Sunday is a huge opportunity. A huge opportunity to try to get the fifth position definitely, or of course, waiting for the next two matches against Liverpool and Manchester City.
“And this opportunity is on Sunday. It’s the priority now, and it’s very, very important.”
Emery praises John McGinn
After his two goals against Forest and an overall exceptional performance, reporters asked Emery about John McGinn’s progression and influence at the club.
“His life is football. His grandfather, his father, his brothers, himself, and his commitment here is massive.
“He had different processes here, even playing Championship, playing Premier League, very difficult sometimes to be playing in Europe through the club because he was playing with his national team.
“For him as well, it’s very important, his development and how he did here. Of course, we arrived here trying to use, myself and the coaches, our experiences, and trying to set here our ambition as well.
“But we needed the club, we needed the supporters, we needed, the players, to get this challenge as well, to work hard, to get the position we are (in).
“I think it’s through his work, because he’s a fantastic guy, fantastic professional. He loves football. He’s so respectful in everything we are doing, he’s a very good teammate, and he’s very important for his teammates in the dressing room.
“And of course, when he’s Super John McGinn in Villa Park, his level is so high.”
ReadAstonVilla verdict
With the finish line in sight, Villa stands on the precipice of a defining era. The euphoria of reaching a first European final in over four decades must now be channeled into the pursuit of Champions League qualification.
By securing three points at Turf Moor, Villa can potentially turn their European dreams into a permanent reality, ensuring that this campaign is historic and is remembered as the moment they truly rejoined the elite.
