Marcus Rashford is likely to be unavailable for “some weeks” as Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery confirmed the striker had suffered a hamstring injury Rashford, who has scored four goals in 17 appearances for Villa since his winter loan move from Manchester United was not in Emery’s matchday squad for their 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final Emery refused to clarify if the 27-year-old forward was expected to return to fitness this season “He’s injured,” Emery said after the FA Cup semi-final defeat “We are going to try to test him each match and probably for some weeks he can not be available.” Rashford joined Villa on loan from United in February for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign and he was selected ahead of Ollie Watkins in the starting line-up for both Champions League quarter-final matches against Paris Saint-Germain alongside this week’s Premier League defeat at Manchester City who are currently covering three-quarters of Rashford’s £325,000 per week wages plus additional bonuses hold an option to make the 27-year-old’s move permanent for £40million (€47.8m Emery’s side return to action at home to Fulham on May 3 before concluding their campaign with a trip to Bournemouth (May 10) home match against Tottenham Hotspur (May 18) and visit to Manchester United (May 25) Emery and Ezri Konsa had a furious exchange in the second half after the Villa defender gave away possession, leading to a chance on the break for Fulham. The Villa boss said: ‘We started well, dominating and scoring, but we stopped it a little bit. We started playing more backwards passes and we weren’t progressing as we needed to. ‘We were losing some easy balls. We spoke about how important it is to play focused and serious for 90 minutes. If players are relaxing a little then we are more likely to lose ‘At half-time I told them I can’t accept the way we were managing the match at times. We should be very demanding every day and be consistent, respecting the opponent for 90 minutes. To be consistent for a whole season, you have to be consistent for 90 minutes per match.’ With the top five qualifying for the Champions League and Chelsea facing fixtures against fellow contenders Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Villa’s rivals will drop points and if they can win their remaining fixtures against Bournemouth, Tottenham and Manchester United, Emery’s men have a strong chance of achieving their goal – even though he played down their prospects. ‘Today we wanted to be closer to qualifying for European football so it is fantastic,’ Emery added. ‘If we had not won, forget it (Champions League) completely. ‘The best gift we can achieve is the Champions League and we are not the favourites to get it, but we will fight for it. We must now focus on Bournemouth next weekend which is so, so difficult. ‘Villa Park is very important and we feel so strong here. The supporters are fantastic and we can feel that it is our fortress.’ Fulham boss Marco Silva was booked along with four of his players and was unhappy at the way referee Robert Jones handled proceedings. He said: ‘It was an intense game with both teams making tactical fouls, but only Fulham got the yellow cards, which was difficult to understand. ‘When I was booked, the fourth official said I was too emotional. Perhaps I shouldn’t have spoken so loudly as they take it personally. ‘Every time a Villa player was down injured, they stopped the game. But when that happened to Calvin Bassey in the second half, they didn’t stop it. I asked him why they didn’t stop it. They should be balanced for both sides but the fourth official didn’t like the way I spoke to him.’ No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} playLeboeuf: 'Sky's the limit' for PSG's Désiré Doué (1:09)Frank Leboeuf explains how impressed he's been with Désiré Doué's breakout season for PSG PARIS -- Unai Emery said Aston Villa can overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit against Paris Saint-Germain by being "strong" at home in next Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal second leg at Villa Park Despite taking a first-half lead through Morgan Rogers at the Parc des Princes, PSG were rewarded for their dominance of the game by sealing a 3-1 victory in the French capital "The third goal doesn't change a lot," Emery said "At 2-1 we were thinking of the second leg as a game that we would want to win We're still here -- I'm really proud of the players Unai Emery's team are facing an uphill battle to qualify for the semifinals of the Champions League. Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images"The last goal we conceded Our mind doesn't change a lot -- we have to win at home and by more than one goal but we will feel strong at home with our supporters at Villa Park." "We knew it would be difficult and knew how deadly they are," Rogers said. "We didn't want to just come here and be spectators. "It was difficult. They're a really good team and have stars all over the place. It's difficult when you have to defend so much and battle. We did that, but in the end, it was the quality from them and maybe some mistakes from us. "Obviously the scoreline is not in our favour but we've got another game and we'll try and turn it around. "We're here for a reason, we're not here to just compete. We want to keep fighting and normally we have the quality to compete with any team in the world. "There's loads of belief in the changing room. We have nothing to lose, nobody thought we'd win the tie in the first place. Why not just go for it? "We've definitely got the quality to turn things around. It's not done yet." 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Read our Privacy notice Aston Villa boss Unai Emery said his side will keep on fighting for Champions League qualification after boosting their chances with a 1-0 win over Fulham Villa, who made the quarter-finals of this season’s competition, are still in the hunt to finish in the Premier League top five which will see them back among Europe’s elite next term Youri Tielemans’ 12th-minute header was enough for them to earn a vital three points which extended their unbeaten run at Villa Park to 20 games in all competitions They drew level with Nottingham Forest and Chelsea on 60 points and will now sit back and hope their rivals falter over the weekend as the top-five race heads for a climax in the coming weeks The best gift we can achieve after it is the Europa League or Champions League “Champions League, okay, we are going to try to get it, but we are not contenders. We are not favourites to get it because there is Nottingham Forest in front of us, Manchester City and hopefully we can fight for the Champions League.” Emery highlighted his desire for perfection when he gave Ezri Konsa a rollicking for giving the ball away which gave Fulham a chance to equalise The England defender gave his boss some back and the Spaniard has no issue with his player’s response “We spoke yesterday how important it is to play focused If someone is playing relaxing a little bit we are closer to losing We should be very demanding every day and focused to be consistent We want to be consistent for 38 matches and for 90 minutes each match.” Defeat for Fulham, who had a goal disallowed for handball, did little for their own European ambitions as they remained in a battle for eighth, which could bring Europa Conference League action. Boss Marco Silva declared his side have three “finals” left in their bid to finish eighth. Asked about the final three games, the Portuguese said: “Finals, finals, finals, finals. This afternoon was very important for both teams, they needed the three points and our aim was clear, to try to reduce Villa the points between both sides and it was not possible. “They won the game. Now we have to look for the next three games, and the most important is the next one against Everton. “When you lose a game, so important for us, at the end, with the goal from a set-piece, it is always very difficult for us to take it. “We lost the game, it’s a sad moment for us. But now in eight days, we have another game to play, very important for us to get the three points.” #UpTheVilla The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Igor Emery looks out above Real Union’s Gal Stadium and towards France The border is only a few hundred yards away from Real Union, the Spanish third-division side he and his brother Unai have a majority stake in. The next time Igor crosses the border will be for Unai Emery’s return to the French capital on Wednesday evening, with Aston Villa playing Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final The occasion will mark a touchstone in Villa’s rapid transformation under the Spaniard and provoke memories from his two-season spell in Paris “My brother is a top manager,” Igor smiles “I don’t say that because of the trophies he’s won I say it because of how he gets them — how he manages the way he works and because he’s invested 200 per cent He tries all the time to improve and to learn from other people ‘I would like to learn from him’ but he tries to learn from others because he really thinks he can keep on improving.” While Emery’s imprint on Villa has shown to be an unmitigated success the perception of him in Paris and at PSG is slightly more complex Emery collected five domestic honours in two years and yet is largely defined by those in Paris for one He was a key casualty in what would forever be known as ‘La Remontada’ — “the comeback” — after one March evening in Barcelona Emery arrived in France with a growing reputation for winning in Europe with three straight Europa League titles at Sevilla It was hoped that particular bank of experience would be lent on at PSG a club yearning to win the Champions League PSG finished second behind Monaco in Emery’s opening 2016-17 season in Ligue 1 though the destruction inflicted by Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League two months earlier weighed far greater They became the first team in the competition’s history to be eliminated from the knockout stages after winning a first leg 4-0 love turned to despair and caused irreversible damage to PSG and Emery 91st and 95th minute to inspire a 6-1 victory and one of the most infamous comebacks in sporting history A haunted Emery accepted his team had “lost everything” in the capitulation’s aftermath Sources who also endured the trauma of that night have spoken to The Athletic on the condition of anonymity to protect their relationships and future jobs While many at PSG share admiration for Emery’s coaching abilities there is an acceptance that he is most remembered for a defeat that caused wide-scale embarrassment to the club “His time was marked by the famous La Remontada,” says one PSG staff member This was a traumatic time and that trauma stayed It took us a long time to get back on track because after this match we were the joke of football “He is associated with this huge loss for us because we went from 4-0 up to a game where we felt he didn’t prepare the team well enough for what was coming He did not prepare them as to what it would be like to play there “The players were much too relaxed and he made a lot of wrong coaching decisions It was a total humiliation and in the stadium after Sources close to Emery felt PSG’s desperation to win the Champions League could “Project PSG” was built on winning the Champions League and appeared to be the be-all and end-all for the club such singular ambition threatened to take for granted success domestically which included a Ligue 1 title in his second season and two Coupes de France and two Coupes de la Ligue he learned about managing situations better,” says a close confidante to Villa’s manager the Barcelona defeat sowed the seeds of his eventual demise “He did have some success but the problem is that if you ask people they won’t remember — all they remember is the La Remontada and that’s the issue,” says a PSG source you’re expected to win Ligue 1 — you’re expected to win the national trophies Everything is centred on the Champions League in the Basque Country and on the border of France though the perception of him at PSG was that his French could be limited and affected his ability to communicate with players designed to compensate for some of his shortcomings the obsession is with PSG,” adds a club source “I think he had a hard time handling all that pressure especially as he didn’t speak great French which would have allowed him to connect with the public and the team Whereas his replacement Thomas Tuchel learned it in two weeks He stayed at a monastery and did nothing else It was amazing he picked it up so quickly.” The support network built around Emery at Villa is in contrast to the environment he worked in at PSG and then Arsenal Emery is most effective when he has significant autonomy to shape the club in his image While he does not demand to be directly involved in transfer negotiations or off-field strategy he wants governance of all footballing operations Emery requests the freedom to put in place a group of confidantes that can carry out his wishes Igor worked closely with him but they were outnumbered by PSG’s hierarchy one of the first calls Emery made before joining Villa was to friend Damian Vidagany who initially came in as his personal assistant so he could manage those aspects off the field Augmented by the arrival of the president of football operations he and Vidagany take care of transfer negotiations act as sounding boards for players’ and agents’ queries and connect the different departments together It is widely accepted Emery did not have those figures of personal connection at Arsenal and PSG Politics naturally plays a part and requires a deft approach and a certain diplomacy from a manager It is an all-encompassing remit that involves managing areas outside of just football that Emery Multiple observers describe him as a “footballing obsessive” solely focused on improving his side from a tactical perspective He pays little attention outside of his immediate footballing bubble which means the structure around him needs to be managed from elsewhere This meant that working within an executive structure which was not always aligned allowed schisms to grow and cliques to foster big transfer fees invited big egos and big money “I know when I am the main man at the heart of the group and when I am not,” Emery told The Tactical Room in May 2018 and following his departure you have to know the role you take and the role the rest of the group gives you the leader will be called Neymar because he is in the process of becoming it.” The individual who ruined Emery’s first season joined him at PSG in his second Neymar signed for a world-record transfer fee from Barcelona to the personal delight of PSG’s hierarchy who viewed the Brazilian’s acquisition as a demonstration of the club’s world standing swelled by the second capture of Kylian Mbappe from Monaco the pair cost a staggering £344million (€401.26m $388.16m) and cranked up the pressure on Emery to deliver at the second time of asking Anything but winning the Champions League would cost Emery his job A man already under pressure saw the temperature turned up Emery teams have traditionally been built on cohesion yet he was steadily finding himself managing egos and individual talent unsuited to a collective style of management They played in a 4-2-3-1 formation and were dominant in possession They scored freely and were the favourites to win every match in France This continued until they were knocked out of the Champions League round of 16 by eventual winners Soon after PSG were confirmed as league champions with a few weeks left of the campaign Emery announced he would be leaving upon the expiration of his contract Unrelenting speculation about his future had swirled through French media throughout the season which was not exactly disarmed by an increasingly fractured dressing room Neymar and striker Edinson Cavani argued over who took penalties and various media publications reported cliques in the dressing room “It became very dysfunctional,” says one source close to the squad at the time “We stayed one more year with him because I think we did not find an appropriate coach to replace him and took a while The issue for coaches like him was when you come to a club that has big players with big experience there was an appreciation for Emery’s work ethic and tactical acumen with that night in Barcelona viewed as an anomaly But belief in his long-term pedigree became brittle and was he was evidently losing the power struggle Hatem Ben Arfa was presented to the public on the same day Emery joined PSG in July 2016 but any desire for a close relationship proved remote They were polarising characters and the separation in how they viewed football was too vast to close Emery quickly lost patience with the player as reports emerged of his irritation towards Ben Arfa in training and lack of professionalism while the latter lost confidence in his coaching staff following La Remontada Ben Arfa ended up training with the reserves “Hatem has known the situation since the start of the season and was reminded about it during the transfer windows,” Emery said There are 14 players who can play in each match — that is football.” Emery is known for his meticulousness in training and long, exhaustive hours spent in analysis meetings High-profile players did not always agree with this approach you have to give them space to express themselves,” Motta told local reporters following Emery’s departure Marco Verratti insisted players had “found their smile again” once Tuchel replaced Emery acknowledging a “difficult” training environment the consensus towards Emery from inside the dressing room was not completely unanimous There were anecdotes of Cavani and Emery’s close relationship where they spoke over the phone early on and learned about one another’s footballing passions and backgrounds Emery wanted to hear about Cavani’s childhood in Uruguay and what made him tick A tendency to focus on the specifics is a distinct attribute of Emery’s yet there was a feeling at PSG that he would have been better inclined to concentrate on broader matters tactical ingenuity was not seen as crucial an aspect as managing players’ egos considering the squad was enriched with quality and could get by It was therefore no coincidence that PSG fell short in the Champions League when they had to rely on more coherent game plans and for players to be more disciplined in their roles in the competition which ultimately caused his downfall at the Parc des Princes His reputation has been restored and reaffirmed at Villa with a setup that enables him to concentrate on footballing matters and possess a level of oversight rarely seen among modern-day managers culture and which players are retained and sold it will bring back some memories,” says one PSG source “I don’t know how he’s going to be greeted because everything he might have done decently has maybe been erased That defeat did not go away for two or three years.” Beating PSG would not be a case of revenge — Emery certainly won’t see it that way — more like proof to Parisians that not only was he a victim of circumstance but that he now deserves to be regarded among the sport’s managerial elite (Header photo: Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images) Jacob is a football reporter covering Aston Villa for The Athletic. Previously, he followed Southampton FC for The Athletic after spending three years writing about south coast football, working as a sports journalist for Reach PLC. In 2021, he was awarded the Football Writers' Association Student Football Writer of the Year. Follow Jacob on Twitter @J_Tanswell Unai Emery has not given up hope that Marcus Rashford will play again for Aston Villa this season Rashford has a hamstring injury that means he may find it difficult to recover for any of Villa's final four games - starting against Fulham at Villa Park on Saturday. Emery said: 'For tomorrow, he is not available. He is working to come back as soon as possible. 'He is still weeks [away] to be available. Hopefully, he will play with us one or two matches.' Asked whether Rashford would be at Villa next season, Emery replied: 'Tomorrow is Fulham. We don't want to finish the season - we want to play. 'Hopefully, he can help us. He is recovering with us here. I want to see him happy. Then we will speak about it.' The England forward joined Villa on loan last January, initially for the rest of the season with an option to buy him from Manchester United for £40million. Rashford's £315,000-a-week deal at Old Trafford means a permanent signing is complicated for any club, especially those outside the Champions League. That is why Villa may try to negotiate a second loan deal late in the window, if they, United and Rashford are in the market for one. {{message}} playEl Clásico to be moved from Camp Nou because of the Rolling Stones (1:08)Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens explain why Barcelona's game vs Real Madrid at the remodelled Camp Nou in May could be moved because of the The Rolling Stones Young Barcelona midfielder Unai Hernández is set to join Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in a deal worth an initial €4.5 million ($4.7m) The 20-year-old will fly to Jeddah this week to finalise the deal which could pocket Barça a further €500,000 in potential add-ons Hernández has starred for Barça's reserve side this season scoring nine goals in 20 appearances in the third tier of Spanish football Barça were open to renewing his deal, but with his path to the first team blocked by the likes of Dani Olmo, Pedri and Gavi who previously held a similar role at Barça has played a significant role in convincing Hernández to make the move to the Middle East Hernández joins a side coached by former France international Laurent Blanc who are tied with Al Hilal on 43 points from 17 games at the top of the Saudi Pro League The transfer could help Barça strengthen in January, with ESPN reporting last week the club have held face-to-face talks with Marcus Rashford's representatives about the possibility of a move However, they would likely have to raise or save more money this month to be able to register the signing of Rashford from Manchester United Eric García, Ansu Fati and Andreas Christensen have all been linked with moves away to free up salary space but coach Hansi Flick has said García will stay and that Fati does not want to leave has been ruled out for another three weeks after injuring his calf in training The Danish defender had only just returned from an Achilles problem which had sidelined him since August is another player who could bring in a transfer fee this month with reports suggesting he is in talks to join Qatari side Al Sadd "You know better than me that maybe it's not easy for the club," Barça coach Hansi Flick said Tuesday when asked if Barça will be able to afford any signings before the transfer window closes on Feb "I always said I am happy with this team about the players I think also with this team we can be very successful." Does a team take more or less solace from knowing the opposition were simply too good or that they were so powerless to prevent what just happened Consistent gains and unwavering belief are what Aston Villa have been built on since Emery’s arrival two and a half years ago and have There is a steeliness to Emery after defeats His no-excuse culture has fostered an inner resolve within his players where they must continue to adapt and grow or be left behind Those characteristics will have to be depended on like never before if Villa are to turn around PSG’s 3-1 lead in that second leg Even when Emery drills down on the specifics and takes stock, there is unlikely to be one major regret from his return to Paris to face one of his former clubs nor one area of contrition over Villa’s strategy for the game Best-laid plans and efforts can be undone by individual excellence or a superior team with his final but most pertinent answer post-match Villa had scored first and trailed only 2-1 going into second-half stoppage time but overall were truly engulfed by PSG’s brilliance Emery opted for the same line-up that beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 away in the Premier League a week earlier but he demonstrated that changing instructions can alter a team’s dynamic even if the players chosen to carry them out are the same often overlooked ingredient to his managerial success If he insisted the best way to control the intensity of Premier League matches “is through ball possession” then the inverse appeared to be true last night in the French capital Villa touched the ball only twice in the PSG half — the stat telling you they’d had even 15 per cent of the possession felt generous Emery isolated the few weaknesses in Luis Enrique’s team He wanted to exploit the spaces in the channels which PSG’s adventurous full-backs left on transition when John McGinn stole the ball from left-back Nuno Mendes and found Marcus Rashford running forward and in sufficient room due to right-back Achraf Hakimi essentially playing as an attacking midfielder for large periods Morgan Rogers was at the back post to convert Youri Tielemans’ low cross and hungry players who hunt like wolves before fizzing and whizzing in possession with relentless ball speed and intricate rotations Villa could only make up for the deficit in quality and European pedigree through hard work One team was overwhelmingly dominant and the other like a cyclist alongside a high-spec sports car registered four times the number of shots (29 to seven) and had nine corners to Villa’s one they did not create what Opta defines as a ‘big chance’ — a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score —  until the 92nd minute when Mendes broke beyond Villa’s back five to score their third Before then, PSG’s expected goals (xG) tally stood at 1.34 a number Villa’s coaching staff would have been reasonably happy with The two other goals — from 27 shots (below) — were generated by stand-alone artistry from their two wingers Red-and-blue PSG flags shimmied at full time as Villa’s players trudged off the pitch visibly tired and in all likelihood psychologically worn down They were left gasping for air after being suffocated for large parts If this was Villa’s first big away fixture against a European powerhouse A tifo display sprawled above the PSG ultras pre-game displayed a skull wearing a flat cap in ‘tribute’ — or provocation — of the television drama Peaky Blinders They whistled and howled every time Villa had the chutzpah to possess the ball and rose to their feet each time one of their front line drove dangerously down the flanks Villa were aware of PSG’s strengths in wide areas and constructed a system that saw the winger closest to the ball drop into defence to form a back five The purpose was to provide cover against the looming multi-faceted threats of Doue and Kvaratskhelia Right-back Matty Cash was booked early and then substituted at half-time for Axel Disasi who was left in the unenviable position of being one-against-one against Kvaratskhelia He was twisted inside out for the winger’s goal Emery tried to introduce three substitutes in the final quarter of an hour but such was the sustained hellfire those on the field were trying to stave Ian Maatsen — who essentially served as a second left-back — Amadou Onana and Ollie Watkins were stranded on the touchline waiting for the ball to go out for six minutes The manager shouted at Emiliano Martinez to kick long and hoped to take PSG back to Villa Park with only a one-goal deficit so Mendes’ late third was a particularly cruel blow the response from Villa players and staff centred on “belief” It was the first word spoken on social media and the default answer for Emery “The last goal is a little bit disappointing because it is the last minute,” he told reporters “But it is not changing our mind or our belief “There’s loads of belief in the changing room,” Rogers told TNT Sports nobody thought we’d win the tie in the first place We’ve got the quality to turn things around If that return leg is to be the end of the road Villa are in reliable hands for what comes next though undoubtedly not the quality their counterparts did having relayed the same message to his dressing room shortly before We can get stronger and get (our) duels better than we did.” Emery will always endeavour to improve and find glory from the very depths of likely defeats At Villa Park — where they are on an unbeaten league run of 15 games — his side can Yet winning there against this extraordinary well-rounded PSG team would break new ground and potentially give the old place its greatest night in generations (Top photo: Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images) then closed his eyes in abject frustration It was the type of gut-punch reaction a 94th-minute winner scored against your team conjures Because among all the highs of this compelling season for Aston Villa there have been more than enough late stings to make the most recent of them feel eerily familiar as they found at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday they are also not yet the complete finished article when it comes to being convincing Champions League qualification contenders They have a penchant for conceding goals at the end of games that leaves them vulnerable Only relegated Southampton (nine) have conceded more added-time Premier League goals this season than Villa Matheus Nunes’ strike last night was the eighth occasion Emery’s team have let one in at that do-or-die stage of a contest since the games began back in August Such goals do not always punish you — Phil Foden’s in the 92nd minute goal of the corresponding fixture just before Christmas was just a consolation as the home side won by the same 2-1 scoreline by which they succumbed on Tuesday But Villa have lost six of the other games in which they have conceded late including one in similarly galling circumstances to this at Nottingham Forest — another of their direct rivals for Champions League qualification — also in December They also dropped points when Bournemouth forced a 96th-minute equaliser in October It is a debilitating habit when you are chasing a top-five finish with such minimal room for error two points off the top five and having played a game more than all of the sides above them other than City Opta now rates their chances of qualifying for the Champions League at 17.5 per cent Emery must balance Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace with their four remaining league fixtures Both the opportunity to consolidate a place at Europe’s top table and the chance to claim major domestic silverware for the first time since 1996 are attractive so his juggling of resources must be flawless It was plain to see why he was reluctant to rest Morgan Rogers at the Etihad Stadium last night even though it was his 49th game of the season — significantly more minutes than he has ever played previously in his young career That workload may be at the point of taking a toll That Rogers lacked his usual spark at times does not in itself make Emery’s team selection wrong He also gave Amadou Onana a start after his goal from the bench against Newcastle on Saturday and was rewarded with a generally impressive performance from the Belgian barring a shaky start when he was caught in two minds positionally for City’s opener But it is not necessarily in central midfield where the biggest headaches await the Spaniard Emery is having to make difficult calls across his attack He returned Ollie Watkins to the bench despite his spectacular confidently scored Villa’s equaliser from the penalty spot and was a constant threat If Emery deserves the benefit of the doubt for those choices it is harder to look past the lack of pragmatism shown as he went for the throat late against City at a ground where history repeatedly smacks Villa in the face They have now been beaten on 15 straight Premier League visits to the Etihad extending their longest ever losing run away to a side in their league history perhaps as he delivered that dramatic glance into the night sky He did not accept the idea he should have held on for a point rather than throwing on more attacking players when he also had two defenders still on the bench “We wanted to win and always have to try and build our mentality in this direction,” he said Three points were the best option we could have and I was not happy with one point It was a good point (in hindsight) after we lost casting his mind back to that 92nd-minute catastrophe a couple of weeks ago when Nuno Mendes made it 3-1 to hosts Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final would lose 5-4 on aggregate but they have huge quality in players and today the same when he (City counterpart Pep Guardiola) subs (Jeremy) Doku to come on and go man to man against tired players Malen was getting in the box and I was believing we could win the match I was pushing them to get more and they (City) did the same and scored when we didn’t.” Few Villa supporters will be too angry at a manager who has made them believe great things are possible over the past three seasons Emery’s mindset is that his team should go to the home of the reigning Premier League champions and win it may be the ideology that drags the culture of the club into the elite for the long term the nagging suspicion remains that it may also be what stops them (Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images) he will celebrate his hometown’s biggest fiesta Emery is intensely private and has a small circle of friends admit they know little about his personal life with interactions geared towards total dedication on the pitch Staff at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground describe him as friendly and affable with a work ethic that reaches unparalleled levels even if they are some distance away and require him to wait allowing them to go through first and will always say hello but I’ve never seen him go home,” says one Villa worker spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships “He was a bit in his own world,” adds one former colleague work strategy and all of that — he is all about strategy but he has a group of coaches around him that were like a safety net He’s not a guy that could sit down and chat for hours with and find out about his private life There have been tales of former staff at Sevilla joking that Emery would spend so long at the training ground that he would have breakfast somebody should come and take me away because I’ll be good for nothing any more,” he once told reporters Emery’s life motto is unsurprising: “Con talento y sin talante no llegamos pero con talante y sin talento tampoco,” which translates to but neither will we with the will and no talent’ Sacrifice and commitment have driven Emery to become one of football’s most eminent coaches Yet his character and approach to his profession were defined in the place he was raised It is why he will allow himself a brief return to watch the Alarde The Emerys are fiercely proud of their place of birth “Born in Hondarribia” is the first sentence on Unai’s Instagram bio and he was close to tears when he received the town’s “gold badge” from the local council in November 2022 to commemorate his achievements in management Dancers dressed in traditional green and white colours welcomed him into a packed town hall where family members — including his brother who made a speech — watched him collect the honour.  A post shared by HONDARRIBIKO UDALA (@hondarribiko_udala) Unai Emery owns all of these characteristics,” said Hondarribia mayor Txomin Sagarzazu a coastal town with circa 17,000 residents as of 2021, offers an insight into Emery Emery has held himself to a core set of principles be it tactical structure on the pitch or integrity off it His Basque roots are because of Hondarribia September’s fiesta is in gratitude to soldiers who resisted a siege on the town by French soldiers over the 15th ensuring the region remained a Basque community The annual festival reveres the Virgin of Guadalupe vows to celebrate her victory against the French in 1638 Friends have told various media outlets that Emery comes to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe to pray The shrine looks out to Hondarribia’s fishing port relying on traditional techniques and accompanied by their dogs they would be situated precisely on the French-Spanish border There are the flags of both countries against a mountainous backdrop and stunning views from the apartments on top of the hills looking out to the French border of Hendaye which can be accessed by a bridge or a small crossing boat Villa help Emery organise a regular charter flight from Birmingham that he books and pays for himself whenever he wants to take a trip home Walking along the coast and football pitches come into view The Hondarribia Turbo Elkatea stadium is home to the town’s local side and its academy which happens to be playing when The Athletic visits was playing here before joining Real Sociedad as a young A few hundred yards into the town is the Plaza de Armas and the place Emery has been pictured watching from a balcony above The plaza is where locals celebrate “Alarde de Armas” (‘weapons display’) in tribute to their trained militants where the fighting took place hundreds of years before The importance of the Alarde is not lost on them decorated with many religious symbols on historic There is vegetation growing on its outskirts with chickens in coops on the sides of roads paintings for sale in windows and on some streets It is sufficiently quiet with so few cars that every dog can be let off lead The language is predominantly Basque or Spanish The way of life is unchanging and methodical; the seafood and Basque restaurants do not open until 12.30pm and serve shrimps prawns and octopus a few hundred yards from the beaches They then retire three hours later for a siesta two euros can buy a coffee; a couple more euros is enough for seafood It offers a serenity that can settle anyone Three kilometres east and intersected by San Sebastien airport is Irun The neighbouring town is where Emery and his brothers watched football and their family club though it is a generally slower way of life compared to Hondarribia which has better aesthetics and activities that kept the siblings occupied Stadium Gal hosts Real Union matches and is located on the left bank of the Bidasoa River and roughly a 10-minute drive from where Emery grew up chief groundsman for the past two years and “The reason we are here is because of those years,” Igor tells The Athletic the siblings acquired a controlling stake in the third-division side “We have family in the history of the club uncle (Roman) and grandfather (Antonio) played here because I was born in 1980 and even my brother but we know all about what he did at the club because of all the things he told me and my three brothers We would come and watch Real Union all the time.” Elsewhere in Hondarribia, there are basketball courts — the Emerys and his staff at Villa are enthusiasts, having had hoops installed at the training ground — with small-sided futsal and tennis courts, as well as padel but Emery developed a passion for long walks and bike rides to clear his thoughts Puerta de Santa Maria forms the main entrance to Hondarribia’s cobbled streets and through to the market square and The coat of arms above serves as the door for the ‘most noble Go through and there are medieval walls on either side of the uphill street with wooden balconies and the 16th-century Iglesia del Manzano catholic church at the far end The church is quiet but vast and impressive There is a smattering of locals sitting to pray with candles lit and striking stained-glass Religion has formed a strand of Emery’s character ‘Unai’ is among the most popular male names in the Basque Country and directly translates to ‘the Good Shepherd’ a teenager on his bike whizzes past with a Real Sociedad shirt on Hondarribia is along the coast from the city of San Sebastian It was the team Emery identified with and would play for with the latter conceding La Liga’s first goal in February 1929 while playing for Real Union against Espanyol Coming from a line of footballers threatened to bring pressure to Emery and his brothers Unai preferred Spanish cartoons and reading but played in midfield alongside his brother in some ways breaking family goalkeeping tradition has restored the goalkeeping continuity and plays for Villa’s under-21s Emery was an industrious left midfielder or full-back not blessed with innate technical quality but to little surprise considering what he would achieve as a manager enriched with a high work rate and an accomplished left foot He made five appearances for Real Sociedad between 1995 and 1996 and scored once yet largely lurched around Spain’s second and third divisions “I left home at 24 — Hondarribia, San Sebastian, Real Sociedad — and opened myself up to the world of football: carrying my suitcase, facing many difficult moments, leaving my comfort zone,” Emery told the Guardian in 2022 Lorca Deportiva and Racing Ferrol until acknowledging that coaching brought far greater enjoyment and purpose Emery was fascinated by former Real Sociedad striker Roberto Lopez Ufarte analysing the specific movements and craftsmanship in his game Emery began taking his badges but realised that to create change within a team a coach must be able to resonate with players he never forgot the advice of former manager John Toshack: to be a good coach you must be the opposite of what you were as a player but could never quite reach the next level He reasoned that “none of my managers could overcome my deficiencies as a player” or had the burning obsession to individually maximise his talents “I don’t say that because of the trophies he’s won but because of how he gets them: how he manages but he tries to learn from others because he really thinks he can keep on improving.” “My doubts and fears helped me learn how to manage the pressures of being a manager and my work with the players,” he said in an excerpt taken from the authorised biography “I’ve also relied a great deal on books about self-confidence and personal development.” Books provide Emery with a certain equilibrium and he has been known to give books to his players The Basque Country shares a remarkable array of elite football coaches which have all meaningfully contributed to the men and managers they are Hondarribia is a place entrenched with history (Top photo: Emery and his hometown of Hondarribia Analysis sessions to Unai Emery are what hairdryers were to Sir Alex Ferguson Or what electricity was to Benjamin Franklin Every player talks about it and every person who has witnessed the very many meetings describes their distinctiveness On Tuesday night, Villa return to the scene of the crime against Club Brugge, having been to Belgium once this season, delivering one of their worst performances under Emery. Analysing what went wrong will be a key part of the preparations for the Champions League last-16 tie “Emery’s attention to detail is the best I’ve ever seen” says one highly experienced member of staff who has worked across several clubs and like every other person quoted in this piece has spoken to The Athletic on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships The Spaniard is known to hold team meetings for up to 90 minutes and even have two to three on the day of the game to drill the players’ responsibilities into them one session specifically focuses on set plays Players stay in a hotel the night before home and away games They have a set schedule for when they are expected to arrive if they are travelling there themselves enabling Emery time for each meeting to take place He leans on analysis sessions for a multitude of reasons not just to prepare for opponents or intricately explain the nuances of his system One player has said Emery’s intense attitude towards preparation came as a shock and had to adjust “There were two meetings today,” Morgan Rogers said after Aston Villa’s victory against Bayern Munich That’s why we win games — we go through everything Emery’s lengthy presentations are partly designed to test players’ concentration but there remains total buy-in recruits must be viewed as psychologically robust in order to cope with Emery’s intensity “We don’t have to do meetings because we are together all day,” Monchi we spend 12 or 13 hours practically together.” Emery holds three pre-match meetings in the lead-up to a matchday The first is to reflect on a previous fixture showing players where they did well and areas of improvement The next meeting then drills into the opponent’s tendencies and traits instilling what solutions can be sought to combat their strengths Emery explains each player’s responsibility and key functions the last meeting is used as a motivational tool It will be the closing message and tap into a personal side wanting to inspire players and remind them of how good they are and can be Emery’s exhaustive methodology meant early results were integral in getting senior players onside after his appointment in October 2022 The difference in preparation between him and his predecessor Steven Gerrard was vast with players and staff now being asked to sit through long meetings before games Regardless, towards the end of 2024, Emery recognised the importance of lessening his intense approach Emery has made efforts to ease the pressures on players giving extra days off in the week leading into games and citing the importance of rest He has held individual talks to gauge players’ mood Emery brings his own whiteboard which he lays out in the changing room he will invariably write out ‘REST’ in capital letters on the whiteboard The reliance on analysis has swelled this season Less time to train has meant more days spent indoors recovering with analysis forming an increasing part of the schedule Work on the pitch has often been reduced to walkthroughs where players are stationed in the shape Villa will deploy in the next match with players sitting on mats and gym boxes The Villa manager does his analysis on top of what his six analysts do in preparation for games he will watch footage of upcoming opposition on the treadmill or a static bike one source joked how Emery would work past 8pm on Fridays which would eat into his staff’s weekend plans one signing arrived late into the night at Bodymoor Heath to finalise paperwork and could see Emery upstairs “He is just so driven,” said midfielder John McGinn after Villa’s 2-0 Champions League win against Bologna in October He has said a few times he was an OK footballer but he wishes he had the determination and work rate he has as a manager the effort — everything that comes his way and our way is on the back of hard work Emery has altered the way Villa analysts work this season Instead of half of the analysis team working on the game ahead — three staff members focusing on the next game with the other three preparing the one after — this term feed into set-piece coach Austin MacPhee’s own analyst team shape and detectable build-up patterns There have been instances throughout the season where each analyst has been at Bodymoor Heath on a Sunday This time is spent preparing the relevant video clips for Emery to study the next day in time for an upcoming Champions League fixture The overall process tends to work in a chain-like manner with the footage compiled being sent to Victor Manas adding his observations and creating an opposition report for the next 90-minute meeting he and Emery watch each opponent at least five times before imparting information to players Emery will study footage wherever he is inside Bodymoor sometimes watching opponents while cycling or running which can be quite limited compared to more modern analytical programming others use putting notes over the top of his analysis on how Villa can combat an opponent’s system There are no other words on the presentations but Emery is always diligent in comparing notes some sources felt Emery was potentially humouring them and their efforts they swiftly realised that Emery prefers a second opinion on what he sees and often tests their observations This includes who they predict will be in the opposition’s XI He tends to go into their room a couple of days before matches and initiate discussions Emery doubles down on his principles and work ethic when on a bad run of form, such as the present downward trajectory away from home, with eight defeats in 10 matches watch more clips and be more introspective in finding solutions A prominent part of his managerial success is how he can transfer his messages onto players It is a formula built up through decades of coaching and will have to be leaned on before Villa’s rematch in Bruges (Top photo: Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images) Games against Brighton & Hove Albion have served as case studies in Aston Villa’s energy — or lack of it on a hot summer’s day in May and with two league games to go Morgan Rogers suffered an injury that kept him out for the final weeks and his substitution led to the right-hand side of the team taking on a makeshift and bedraggled look with Matty Cash moved into midfield and Ezri Konsa to right-back Konsa conceded a penalty for the only goal of the contest Villa carried the gait of a boxer waiting for the final bell; clinging on but merely surviving The teams might have only been divided by one goal but Villa’s players were physically and psychologically spent they went to Greece and were knocked out of the Conference League at the semi-final stage by Olympiacos how little they had in the tank towards the end of the season “Last year we were in the Conference League and we got to the semi-final,” Emery said on Tuesday “But against Olympiacos we were not 100 per cent with the energy and even physically or mentally We achieved through the Premier League to play Champions League but we were struggling the last two months.  being focused 100 per cent — full energy and with the players able to play matches in a row we have substitutions who can make a good impact Villa staff were mindful of how players were affected and did not want a repeat this time This influenced January’s transfer dealings with a greater appetite to deepen the squad’s depth This was especially pertinent given they were still battling in three competitions and would There is an acceptance that were Villa only involved in the Premier League But Villa want plenty of games: more minutes more away trips against Europe’s best opposition and harder tests but extended analysis sessions are thought to sharpen players’ concentration.  “Mentality is something so deep,” Emery continued “We have a lot of meetings and speak about how we want to create our structure tactically but also from how we work — what do we want This is the mentality we are trying to get.” Unlike last season when players were moonlighting in their second and third-favoured positions or carrying injuries there is a genuine faith the squad will peak this month Approaching the critical juncture of the campaign players have returned from injuries and new signings are fully integrated To ensure Villa have fuel in the tank in these final months of the season Emery started to reduce his intense approach towards the end of 2024 to offset burnout He has made efforts to ease the varying pressures giving players extra days off in the week — sometimes to specific individuals rather than the whole squad He also held one-on-one talks to gauge moods when form was stuttering Emery brings his own whiteboard that he lays out in the changing room he will write out ‘REST’ in capital letters on the whiteboard If Emery had confidence in Villa’s capacity for endurance before they visited Brighton such belief would only have been strengthened afterwards His team’s 3-0 victory was juggernaut-like The goals came from winter signings Marcus Rashford was introduced to see the match out and help the team register a fifth clean sheet in six matches Rashford’s goal five minutes after the break was a passage of sharp It took 11 seconds from Emiliano Martinez catching the ball to Rashford scoring and nine if you count the move from the former’s throw Villa were at their best on transition last season and have gradually begun to rediscover those cutting moves Perhaps the changing of fortunes was symbolised by the nature of the goal they were directly benefiting from the inverse Emery’s side exerted control and after Simon Adingra had a goal ruled out for handball Asensio’s first-time finish was another example of their forward thinking Cash’s whipped ball down the line sped into the path of Rogers having been denied a clear penalty before the break and then against the backdrop of numerous lost points previously Only a day earlier did Emery reference cases of missed opportunities — Bournemouth Crystal Palace and Brighton in the reverse fixture they turned a point into a resounding victory against a contender for a Champions League place Malen scored Villa’s third and felt the most needed of any player. He has suffered a difficult time since arriving in January, excluded from Villa’s Champions League squad and short of minutes with Emery making concerted efforts to reassure him of his worth Opening his account appeared to drain most of his tension as away supporters sang his name and team-mates pushed him to the front to celebrate with them Six successive wins across all competitions show Villa are peaking at the right time Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications Unai Emery was spotted kicking off with one of his Aston Villa players during the 1-0 win over Fulham With just three matches left in the Premier League season for most clubs, the race for the five Champions League spots is heating up with six sides competing for just four spots Aston Villa took one step closer to taking one of the top five positions on Saturday afternoon after claiming a 1-0 win over Fulham at Villa Park But it wasn't all good for the midlands side as manager Emery was spotted clashing with one of his top players in the final moments of the nervy match A goal from midfielder Youri Tielemans was enough to take the villains up to 60 points, putting them level with both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest who are fifth and sixth respectively But this didn't stop Villa manager Emery from making his feelings about his side's performance known on the touchline midway through the second-half Fulham came close to finding an equaliser as a cross from Alex Iwobi was found by teammate Harry Wilson catching Villa defenders Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres completely off guard Although Wilson's effort has saved by Villa keeper Emi Martinez it didn't stop Emery from kicking off at his defender on the touchline Commentating on the moment live on TNT Sports Co-commentator Darren Fletcher laughed before revealing that Konsa clearly annoyed at his manager's reaction hit back at Emery as the pair were spotted arguing on the touchline Emery was asked to explain what had happened between him and the Englishman and it's clear he still wasn't happy "We spoke yesterday and this week how important it is to try to play & focus seriously in 90 minutes in our game plan we are closer to losing," Emery told TNT Sports "When we lost some balls in the first half I can’t accept sometimes how we were managing the match." Topics: Aston Villa, Unai Emery, Premier League, Football, Champions League Unai Emery could feel Aston Villa’s grip on the game and the season slipping and he exploded out of his technical area storming down the touchline and throwing a succession of angry right hooks in the direction of his defender Ezri Konsa The Villa centre half had just lost a duel in the middle of the park which had almost led to Fulham snatching an equaliser Konsa felt he should have been given a free kick and didn’t take kindly to being singled out so publicly by his manager If Konsa’s reply to Emery’s shadow boxing involved some industrial language then all was forgiven afterwards as the home side held out for a valuable Registered in England No. 894646. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. 385 CommentsAston Villa boss Unai Emery says his players should view the second leg of their Champions League showdown with Paris St-Germain as a chance to write themselves into the club's history books Villa, who won the European Cup in 1982, suffered a 3-1 defeat away to the Ligue 1 champions last week in the first leg of their quarter-final tie Emery acknowledged his side will have to "manage" the match at Villa Park on Tuesday "emotionally and tactically" But the Spaniard also said his players have to "believe" they can overturn a two-goal deficit and progress to the semi-finals But now is something different," Emery said "We want to write here the history with Aston Villa. Last year, in Conference League [when they lost in the last four], and this year in Champions League and hopefully for a long time in Europe." has only lost one of his 13 home matches in major European competitions as Villa boss Villa are also on a 17-match unbeaten run on home turf in all competitions stretching back to November 2024 Emery is hoping to pair Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins in attack in the future but said the game against PSG might not be the right time to deploy them together Rashford and Watkins have played in seven games together with the most time the pair have spent on the pitch with each other the 82 minutes during Villa's 2-0 win over Cardiff City in the fifth round of the FA Cup "The next step - if I have time - is to play them together," Emery added "We did with Rashford playing left side but now we are choosing more with both playing as strikers 'PSG will win the Champions League' - Sutton Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers said the club's fans have a vital role to play in generating an atmosphere to inspire the club to the semi-finals of Europe's elite competition for the first time in over four decades When asked how important the home support at Villa Park will be we've done it this season in the big games not just Champions League but in the big league games as well." Emery added: "If we are connecting with our supporters if we are playing more or less getting tactically and individually good things on the field they are going to help us a lot with their energy "They are going to transmit to us their energy and always for our players playing at home with the energy they can receive from our supporters We need to use now Villa Park like our home and like our fortress." 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It is a 180-degree turnaround from just a few weeks ago when Manchester United were lurching from one loss to another, while Marcus Rashford was tearing it up for Aston Villa Rashford’s form for Villa was even posing uncomfortable questions for Ruben Amorim but as the season ticks to a close and Rashford sustaining an injury Unai Emery’s latest words on Rashford speak of a player who clearly feels that time is running out for him to make an impact and is trying his best to set things right one last time Rashford’s current situation might not be enviable but before sustaining his injury, he was genuinely a player reborn in Villa colours Emery had become a huge Rashford fan quite a difficult feat to achieve because the Spaniard is a famously hard taskmaster Rashford’s moment of genius in the Champions League was going viral and Emery’s preference for him was even frustrating his Aston Villa teammate after sustaining an injury that looked like it would end his season Emery has given an update on Rashford and it speaks of player who’s feeling the heat Emery said: “Rashford is working to come back as soon as possible Villa’s last game of the season is on May 25 coincidentally against Man Utd so Rashford won’t be eligible to play He needs to be fit by May 18 to have a chance to impress one last time for Villa before they make a decision on his future One would presume that Rashford has already done enough to send the footballing world a reminder of his abilities but he could be about to face an uncertain summer His wage demands are likely to put off Villa from exercising their buy clause especially if they fail to qualify for the Champions League Rashford’s dream club is anyway higher in the pecking order than Villa but for that he is running out of time to make a final impact that ensures his season doesn’t finish with a whimper He’s feeling the heat so he’s trying to return as soon as possible and if he manages to return from what was believed to be a season-ending injury in less than three weeks a player is only as good as his last game and Rashford is trying his best to have his last game a memorable one because an injury is threatening to take away his chance to make a lasting impression Surely, Aston Villa have come too far to let their season fizzle out now They have suffered two knockout blows in Europe and the FA Cup in 12 days, but cannot feel sorry for themselves because they are in a monumental battle for the Champions League places Next up are Fulham, whose manager Marco Silva will have watched Villa’s FA Cup defeat by Crystal Palace with great interest Palace had the perfect game plan as they stopped Unai Emery’s side playing through the midfield and then hit them on the counter-attack, with Eberechi Eze, Ismaila Sarr and their flying wing backs.  Emery loves to play with a midfield box of four and two sitters, while a winger drops in alongside the No 10, but Palace ambushed them with a mid-block and a man-to-man press against the midfield box that left them with no space to move the ball quickly. Villa looked nervous, were too safe in possession and lacked flexibility in their build-up. Managers often invert their full backs to create a ‘plus one’ in midfield, but Emery tends to keep his full backs high and wide.  This lack of flexibility meant Villa could not get beyond their own midfield base and whenever they chose to go long, Palace dropped to the edge of the area and got men back behind the ball. Villa missed the pace of Marcus Rashford up front, while Morgan Rogers looked out of sorts on the wing. He will surely return to No 10. Against teams above him in the table, Silva often switches to a back three and after watching Palace do the perfect job on Villa it will be no surprise to see him use the same wing back system. He has pace with Alex Iwobi, Adama Traore, Ryan Sessegnon and Antonee Robinson and will feel he can duplicate that Palace performance this afternoon. {{message}} Villa’s on loan forward has now missed the last two games through injury Sport | Football Marcus Rashford is absent from the Aston Villa squad for today’s Premier League clash against Fulham although there is hope he will play again this season Rashford missed last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final loss to Crystal Palace through injury as confirmed by Unai Emery ahead of kick-off It has since been revealed that the forward is suffering with a hamstring issue that was thought to have brought a premature end to his 2024/2025 campaign when speaking to the media before Villa vs Fulham Emery revealed he is not giving up hope of having Rashford playing for the club before the season is over He is working to come back as soon as possible Rashford will only be eligible to feature against Bournemouth and Tottenham should he return to full fitness within the next fortnight This is because as per Premier League loan rules, he cannot face parent club Manchester United on the final day of the season Conte reveals what went wrong for McTominay at Man Utd amid Napoli transformation David Beckham on turning 50: My biggest accomplishment is my wife and children Man Utd XI vs Brentford: Confirmed team news and predicted lineup Enter the AXA Startup Angel competition to win £25,000 Rashford has rejuvenated his career at Villa Park following his loan move from the Red Devils in January. Though whilst Villa have an option to make to turn the deal permanent one in the summer for £40million Emery has refused to be drawn on what the future holds for the 27-year-old We don't want to finish the season - we want to play,” the Spaniard said in response to be asked if Rashford will be a Villa player next season David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints VE Day 2025 flypast and parade LIVE: King Charles joined by senior royals on Palace balcony to watch aircraft King joined by senior royals on Palace balcony to watch VE Day flypast UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Revealed: The real reason Brooklyn Beckham snubbed dad David’s 50th birthday amid family feud Revealed: Why Brooklyn Beckham snubbed dad David’s 50th birthday Five managers have been nominated for April 2025's Barclays Manager of the Month award The supporters' votes will be combined with those of a panel of football experts to decide the winner Enter your details for the chance to win a £150 voucher that you can spend online at a Premier League club shop of your choice Your entry has been submitted successfully Please check your email for further information Guardiola’s side would end the month with a dramatic stoppage-time win over Villa that leaves them fourth in the table and on course for UEFA Champions League qualification Eddie Howe (Newcastle)P6 W5 D0 L1 GD+12Howe’s Newcastle were the division's highest scorers across the month with 18 goals from six matches that included wins over Brentford Those results helped take them up to third in the table with Wolves being the only team to go through April with a 100 per cent winning record Liverpool recovered to win their next three fixtures en route to confirming their status as champions Sessegnon or Strand Larsen to win April's award Watch eight of the best April Premier League goals and help decide which of them wins the award Watch six of the best saves in April 2025 and help decide which of them wins the award PSG head coach Unai Emery reacts at the end of the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona Barcelona won the match 6-1 (6-5 on aggregate) celebrates after scoring his side’s third goalduring the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Manchester United at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris PSG’s Marco Asensio celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the French League 1 soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier at the Parc des Princes in Paris FILE -PSG’s Lucas Digne control the ball during his French League one soccer match between Toulouse FC at the Parc des Princes stadium Aston Villa’s head coach Unai Emery gestures to his players during the English Premier League soccer match between Brentford and Aston Villa at the Gtech Community stadium in London celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game with teammate Marco Asensio during the English FA Cup quarter final soccer match at Deepdale reacts after Aston Villa’s Marco Asensio scoring his side’s third goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham fights for the ball with Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne during the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges PARIS (AP) — When Aston Villa coach Unai Emery returns to Parc des Princes for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday it may stir up some difficult memories for him Villa’s on-loan forward Marcus Rashford will doubtless recall one of his happiest soccer experiences For Villa defender Lucas Digne and attacking midfielder Marco Asensio the trip could be a case of mixed feelings Emery was PSG’s coach for one of the biggest humiliations in Champions League history PSG then lost the Ligue 1 title to Kylian Mbappé's Monaco PSG spent 422 million euros (then $456 million) during the offseason to buy Neymar from Barcelona and Mbappé in a stunning double swoop He left at the end of the following season after two difficult years during which PSG went out twice in the last 16 of the Champions League but he also made his mark as a coach willing to stand up to player power “For the team to adapt to me and for me to adapt to the team.” Villa seems to have adapted very well to his methods The Birmingham-based club is on a seven-game winning run heading into its first quarterfinal in the competition since 1983 who has won the Europa League a record four times as a coach guided unheralded Villarreal to the Champions League semifinals in 2022 PSG experienced another Champions League blow PSG’s Qatari owners QSI were preparing for a third season at the helm of the club with new coach Laurent Blanc and he signed Digne from French rival Lille for 15 million euros (then $16.2 million) It was a big fee for an unproven 20-year-old defender but the quick and skillful Digne was impressive at times with his performances at left back he was unable to hold down a regular place and first to Everton and then Villa four years ago saw him become a consistent and respected Premier League defender The 29-year-old Spaniard was not getting many opportunities in PSG coach Luis Enrique’s revamped attack enhancing his reputation as a scoring super-sub But it will not be a surprise to those who watched Asensio earlier in his career with Real Madrid As a strong-running attacking midfielder with a superb first touch and a penchant for long-distance shooting he netted 61 goals in 286 games and won the Champions League three times scoring in the 2017 final against Juventus Early morning Basque sunshine is threatening to break through Take the first turning off the main road and you will come across Real Union’s bar gentle music is playing as a couple of locals enjoy a coffee The artificial pitch used for training is opposite and Real Union’s first-team players have started to trickle out for today’s session.  where Aston Villa manager Unai Emery’s footballing foundations were formed a sovereign community of just over 60,000 in the Basque Country about a 25-minute drive east of San Sebastian and four kilometres from Emery’s family home in Hondarribia The Athletic is visiting on the weekend Emery guided Villa into the FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace next month to add to their two-leg Champions League quarter-final with Paris Saint-Germain This is all a world away from the footballing company Emery If you sit high enough up in the ground’s largest stand you can see buildings that sit on French soil a short distance away to the left and just over the Bidasoa River which runs past the stadium and serves as a natural border between the two countries its waters flowing between and around three small uninhabited islands in midstream To your right and behind the opposite goal 1924 and 1927 — the years this club won the Copa del Rey “The reason we are here is because of those years,” Real Union president Igor Emery the siblings acquired a controlling stake in this Spanish third-division side “We would come and watch Real Union all the time I used to play for the academy when I was 13 and started as a goalkeeper The four Copa del Rey trophies are now proudly displayed in the conference room where we’re sitting including keeping a clean sheet against Real Madrid his greatest moment across 110 appearances Antonio’s brother Roman had featured in the 1918 win against Madrid FC who became Real Madrid a couple of years later the Emery name was central in three of the four trophy wins within 14 years.  another of the four brothers along with Igor has been the chief groundsman here for the past two years “This project can personally be made for us and our family,” Igor says “We are working together to get the club right and to go higher (in the Spanish league system) We are still in a position where Real Union shouldn’t be “Unai and I started talking about taking over because our other two brothers are not so involved in football and because we would always speak about how Real Union were doing just as Unai left Arsenal and being in the pandemic everything accelerated in us buying the club.” Unai and Igor spoke to the previous owners and Ricardo Garcia who served as president for two decades and had turned the club into a public limited sports company having gained knowledge of the inner workings of a football operation from accompanying Unai when he managed Paris Saint-Germain and later Arsenal we were not talking about me being the president,” he says “We were talking about trying to help effectively but how to solve them when you are inside is not the same as when you are outside or in the stands.” the Emerys have restored stability off the field While staving off relegation from the third division is the short-term priority long-standing staff say the family’s support has transformed the club with wages unpaid and their stadium ageing rapidly professionalism has increased and unsurprisingly due to the association of a certain Emery brother the club have been incorporated into V Sports the group which owns Villa as part of its multi-club model the seats were white and full of rubbish,” says Ricardo Costa a player at Real Union for seven years and now their goalkeeping coach for the past 19 We had a lot of problems with money and getting paid He is tasked with shaking Real Union out of the deep-rooted malaise and taking them back towards those former glories Along with fellow Basque sides Athletic Club and Real Sociedad Real Union was among La Liga’s founding members in 1929 Founded in 1915 after two breakaway teams (Irun Sporting Club and Racing Club de Irun) were knitted together — which owed to the mediation of Alfonso XIII the King of Spain and hence the name “Union” — the early years were plentiful Those four Copa del Rey triumphs ensued between 1913 to 1927 (the first of them won by Racing Club de Irun) The club’s peak years mainly lay in the early part of the 20th century and have firmly stayed in the past Real Union suffered relegation from Spain’s top division in 1932 and have never been back “Irun doesn’t have the economic potential of other major cities the character here is quite humble and simple If you add the fact that the average age of our fans is quite high then the truth is that we don’t make as much noise as we should “We have been fighting to revive old glory we achieved our last promotion to the second division in a season that was also historic — we eliminated Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Copa del Rey (on away goals after the two-leg tie finished 6-6 on aggregate) we couldn’t maintain our status and fell back into hell.” Hondarribia to the north is busier and more aesthetic boasting a coastline that looks across the river estuary towards France and historic stoned buildings.  the Gal Stadium is an unusual hive of activity The first team are playing later against FC Andorra — this season’s first Friday home game — and will welcome the visitors’ owner and president Gerard Pique the former Barcelona and Spain defender who helped the national team win the 2010 World Cup and the European Championship two years later commercial partners are converging in the hours before They are shown around the stadium and Igor gives a speech pitchside at the tour’s conclusion Unai Macias Fernandez is Real Union’s head of communications but in truth Matchday duties include writing for the website “What you don’t get at most places are those incredible mountains,” he says The right-back from the second team works at the club there are three or four people (running things) only me in communication and another person helps in marketing.” Gal Stadium was built in 1926 and has had small cosmetic uplifts since to reach a 5,500 capacity Its name derives from the generosity of local businessman Salvador Echeandia Gal who gifted 313,000 pesetas (£1,580 in today’s money) to buy this plot of land beside the river The stadium’s inauguration was marked with a match against Barcelona.  Graffitied walls surround the artificial training pitch the first team are getting their session in during the morning before retiring in the afternoon for a siesta “Here is where the academy trains,” Macias Fernandez says “They train as young as 12 and we now have lots of teams.” in volume and the quality of players,” adds Mikel Bengoa “We’re improving training methods at grassroots level.” Senior figures are bustling around the stadium going out of their way to introduce themselves breaking away from his usual tradition of a coffee every morning.  There are several cogs to the overall machine but no part is more influential than the Emerys though yet to materialise on the pitch (Real Union are 15th in a 20-team league) son and father of goalkeepers,” says Costa You can imagine the importance that Real Union has always had in his family The four brothers have absorbed Unionism in their home since they were children I sincerely believe they’ve let their feelings guide them to buy us — with their hearts more than their heads I’m sure their grandfather and father would be proud.” “The Emery family’s first objective when they bought Real Union was to provide financial social and institutional stability so that it wouldn’t disappear,” says Bengoa they aimed to honour the families who made Real Union great in the past.” The family’s synergy with Real Union is unequivocal starting locally in Hondarribia before joining Real Sociedad I have a certain sense of responsibility with my father and grandfather I have that responsibility towards my land,” the Villa manager said after taking ownership of the club What we have to do is recover that feeling in Irun it would be for Real Union to be in the first division I want to ensure Real Union also has its place It has just reached midday and two men are out on the pitch a lawyer and trusted confidante of the Emerys The Emerys are fiercely proud of where they were raised Unai Emery owns all of these characteristics,” said mayor Tom Sagarzazu societal themes had to be considered when returning to Real Union Many supporters — “Unionistas” — had lost faith “The fans were not coming anymore,” says Igor “The club had a debt with nearly everybody here and they were not taking care of the academy The biggest value of this club is our four cups yet they were behind a cupboard with other smaller ones “You can try to bring good players with a lot of money but sports is different They invested a lot of money but the results weren’t coming It changed when Unai came because they changed the way they are working.” If Villa’s manager can only have a slight focus on Real Union at the moment,  then it does little to ease the tension of him watching their matches from his house in Birmingham when the schedule allows He is in continual communication with Igor and head coach Albert Carbo who took over in December after being part of his backroom team at Villa last season The 34-year-old draws on Emery’s expertise on footballing matters “He is 200 per cent focused on Aston Villa but will have attention on Real Union when he can,” Igor says “Tonight he will watch the game and yesterday he was telling me that he was nervous Emery’s presence across both clubs naturally lent itself to a more formal partnership between Aston Villa and Real Union the latter came under the V Sports umbrella The idea was for a cross-pollination of ideas where Villa players could be loaned to Real Union coaches would join them and the general setup would be enhanced through Villa’s data and methodology “Villa staff often come to Irun to monitor the players we’ve loaned,” says Costa “The relationship is very fluid and enriches us We exchange reports and share work methodologies and databases including travelling to Egypt and meeting ZED FC staff; players from Vissel Kobe a top-flight Japanese side Villa collaborate with the aim was to bring talent here and to develop them for their return to Villa.” “Unai comes out a few times a year,” adds James Wright a 20-year-old goalkeeper on a season-long loan to Real Union and one of four Villa players to have made such a move in the past two years “I have weekly meetings with the goalkeeper coach (back at Villa When time goes on and you start to learn what people are saying you do feel pride that you made the move.” Real Unions’ shareholders ratified an agreement that saw V Sports turn their working partnership into a financial one Board members approved a capital increase of €4.5million in exchange for V Sports having a 25 per cent stake.  we can be in the Spanish market and French market,” Igor says “It’s a way for V Sports and us to have control of a lot of players “My goal is to go into the professional league — La Liga 2 or La Liga and then the second ambition is to be promoted.” V Sports co-owner Wes Edens visited Gal Stadium in February and was pictured with Igor holding Real Union’s away shirt the claret and blue pallet is in homage to Villa’s home kit On Saturday Wes Edens was watching our game at Stadium Gal. Thank you for your visit and support! pic.twitter.com/eohpLuWuNX — Real Unión Club Irun (@REALUNIONCIRUN) February 24, 2025 “We would like to explore our partnership with Villa more,” Igor admits “We agreed to change the away kit to engage Villa supporters We knew it was going to be appreciated and we also got Adidas because of their partnership with Villa (fellow co-owner Nassef Sawiris owns a six per cent stake in the sportswear giant Real Union are recapturing local supporters while adding more from hundreds of miles away in the English Midlands the squad spent a week at The Belfry hotel and golf resort which is less than a mile from Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training centre They used the Premier League club’s facilities before getting a tour of Villa Park and playing a friendly match against League Two side Barrow Staff were pleasantly surprised to see their Villa-inspired shirts among the crowd that day “We are very grateful for the partnership and it gives us more opportunity to sell more shirts,” Igor says Dusk has turned to darkness and the other side of the French border is no longer visible The attendance for the FC Andorra match is lower than the average of about 1,000 due to the change in fixture date to a Friday evening Real Union do not have the fizz in their passing to break lines or sufficient precision from cutback crosses as the rain showers start towards the end of the game the point from a goalless draw is an important one against their sixth-placed visitors “Having the support of a club as great as Aston Villa gives us a sense of security that allows us to work with peace of mind,” says Costa “Now a new capital increase has been approved we’re going to have a significant financial boost Our feelings about the future are unbeatable.” Aston Villa manager Unai Emery remains confident that his team can pull the comeback next week at Villa Park The Premier League side opened the scoring thanks to a goal from Morgan Rogers putting the English club on the ropes heading into the second leg MORE: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Aston Villa: Report And Full Match Highlights From Parisians Win Kisses Paris, good night! 😘❤️💙📸 shotby.elo pic.twitter.com/wByUkWnFXd Even though they took PSG's best shot and now need to overcome a two-goal deficit, Emery spoke to Canal + and remains confident that being at home can give his squad the added boost they need to defeat the Ligue 1 side (via Paris Fans) But we will be playing at home with our supporters and we will be the protagonists of the match 😍#PSGAVFC I @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/B48Xiw4ag5 The contest also marked Emery's return to the French capital The Spanish coach managed the Parisians for two seasons before departing He was asked about returning to Paris but sidestepped the question to play in Paris but in the Champions League With our club doing very well in this competition playing against the best teams in the world is fantastic for us Transcript: Luis Enrique’s Pre-Match Press Conference Ahead Of PSG vs Aston Villa PSG And Aston Villa Fans Clash In Paris Ahead Of Champions League Tie Aston Villa's Emi Martinez Angers PSG Fans Ahead Of Champions League Tie Rashford suffered a hamstring injury in the build-up to last week’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace Aston Villa boss Unai Emery hopes Marcus Rashford can play again this season but does not want to address his long-term future yet Rashford suffered a hamstring injury in the build-up to last week’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace and Emery has ruled him out for “weeks” With only four Premier League matches remaining, starting with Fulham’s visit to Villa Park on Saturday, there were fears that he would not feature again before his loan spell from Manchester United. But Emery raised the prospect he could return in time to help Villa achieve their target of Champions League qualification. “For tomorrow, he is not available,” Emery said. “He is working his comeback as soon as possible, but it is still weeks to be available or not with us for the rest of the season. “Of course, there are four weeks and hopefully he will play with us one or two matches. “Tomorrow, Fulham. Tomorrow, Fulham. We don’t want to finish the season. We don’t want holiday. “We want to play. And hopefully he can help us. And of course, he’s recovering with us here. “I want to see him happy. Play, get our objective and then, of course, we will speak about everything.” Villa’s Champions League hopes were boosted by Nottingham Forest’s defeat to Brentford on Thursday night and they could draw level on points with Forest and Chelsea with a win. “Every match is important to win,” Emery said. “The day one, the day 30 and the day 35 tomorrow. “And be consistent, trying to get our best is the challenge we have. And tomorrow how we can respect them, how we can adapt to them, how we can impose, dominate our game plan through our positioning, through our player skills and our wishes. “And still four matches to play. Tomorrow we will play three points. “And our moment now in the Premier League is the objective we were dreaming two years ago. “We were setting as an objective this year, but always been ambitious to be in Europe, to play in the Conference League, to play in the Europa League, to play in the Champions League.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/gallery","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"Aston Villa v Paris Saint-Germain – UEFA Champions League – Quarter Final – Second Leg – Villa Park","description":"Marcus Rashford in action for Aston Villa","caption":"Marcus Rashford has suffered a hamstring injury Marcus Rashford has suffered a hamstring injury “Structure” is the principle every Unai Emery team is founded upon integrated into every answer related to Aston Villa’s strategy In his pre-match press conference before the Champions League last-16 first leg against Club Brugge the Spaniard repeated “structure” three times in one response structure is “the arrangement of and relations between elements of something complex” overarching system where players are choreographed to stay in certain positions and learn attacking or defensive patterns It gives Villa a base layer of consistency in how they look and play Structurally, Marcus Rashford’s arrival has caused the most perceptible shift, including the responsibilities of some team-mates. Before joining, Villa staff felt the 27-year-old could be a multi-faceted attacker, capable of playing anywhere across the frontline believing his best position is in the inside left channel and was Villa did not play with a traditional left-winger/inside forward that player served as a left ‘No 10’ (attacking midfielder) drifting inside the pitch while the left back provided width The right-winger did the same on the other side In the example below, left midfielder Jacob Ramsey becomes the second No 10 and works closely with Morgan Rogers in carrying the ball upfield. Lucas Digne is outside of Ramsey as the left-back while right-winger Leon Bailey is in a more traditional winger role on the opposite side with most rotations and combinations generated from central areas and Villa’s box midfield only Chelsea have attacked central areas more frequently (32 per cent) than Villa (31 per cent) A distinct pattern of play is for the left No 10 to move centrally when the ball is on the other flank with the left-back simultaneously overlapping Rashford hugs the touchline when the ball is on the opposite flank Emery would want his left midfielder between the lines and close to where the referee is below But Rashford is better equipped to receive or run from wide areas which has meant a change in Villa’s starting shape with the ball Rashford is required to play like a left-winger Emery had to find a way of putting the Manchester United loanee into his most productive position and has since integrated greater use of wing-play to Villa’s approach as opposed to basing most attacks centrally With data from Footovision — an analytics company that has created new contextual metrics by combining event and tracking data from video broadcast footage — you can see how Rashford stretches Villa’s shape when he plays Ramsey maintains a narrow position with the left-back (Ian Maatsen) outside of him Rashford’s movement away from the ball and in wider positions is the polar opposite to alternatives in the position To ensure Villa still can play between the lines in high areas the left-back moves into the No 10 position freeing up space and a passing lane for Rashford Maatsen had a similar remit at Borussia Dortmund and with Chelsea especially in the 2023 pre-season under Mauricio Pochettino Rashford’s natural preference is to receive the ball to feet out wide or on the move He is in the bottom 20 per cent of attacking midfielders/wingers from Europe’s top five leagues for passes into the final third (1.26 per 90 minutes) indicating he rarely connects play from between the lines staying wider makes sense as he ranks in Europe’s top 17 per cent for crosses into the penalty area (0.47 per 90) and therefore can remain in those areas to deliver the ball into the box Admittedly from a small sample size — starting just once in the league and introduced in the second half on four other occasions — Rashford has floated in and out of games and is yet to score He has occasionally appeared loose in possession and switched off defensively such as being slow to track Trent Alexander-Arnold for his goal at Villa Park Coaching staff have attempted to restore confidence in Rashford’s risk-taking knowing one-v-one duels form an essential part of his game He is encouraged to keep driving at his full-back regardless of previous failures and has space to do so playing further away from Rogers than Ramsey would with Rashford in the top two per cent for dispossessions over the past 12 months losing the ball on the touchline is less threatening to opposition counter-attacks than the ball being turned over centrally with Villa generally having enough players behind play to reduce transition-based scenarios Rashford’s position was striking and showed a daring side to Emery; against a man-marking system Villa’s manager encouraged direct forward play by playing a 4-2-4 formation with four attackers on the Belgian side’s last line The early signs are encouraging for Rashford and have resulted in a swift England recall. His four assists have been for Marco Asensio to score and have looked similar The role has enabled Rashford to burst down the left channel His movement is sharp when he decides to run behind as highlighted by Kyriani Sabbe’s sending-off in the second leg against Club Brugge Rashford was fouled chasing Emiliano Martinez’s clipped pass As a consequence of Rashford offering width the right side is different; right-back Matty Cash has pushed higher to become a quasi-right-winger with Boubacar Kamara dropping to fill the right-back space from central midfield Rogers can move inside the pitch and back to his most productive area Rashford is still in the early stages of what he will hope is a career rehabilitation yet Emery’s structure Emery allows Rashford to showcase his attributes in his best role — one that did not exist in Villa’s shape before his arrival UNAI SDG Hub 9 Chair: Mount Kenya University Mount Kenya University (MKU) is a Chartered ISO 9001:2015 Certified University whose 2020-2029 Strategic Plan focuses on 3 key mandates: teaching The use of industry and institutional partnerships at national continental and international levels is a major hallmark at MKU and is an enabler in achieving the University Mission which is “To provide world-class education research and innovation for global transformation and sustainable development” Thus, MKU is a comprehensive university with diverse range of programmes, activities and infrastructural support that touch on each of the 17 Global Goals including the Maritime Academy at the Kenyan coast which is run on a partnerships-based model Learn more about Mount Kenya University UNAI SDG Hub 9 Vice-Chair for Teaching and Education: La Salle - Ramon Llull University founding member of the Universitat Ramon Llull integrates the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations into its core mission by promoting social innovation La Salle-URL fosters transdisciplinary learning and research aimed at addressing societal challenges  through impactful With a strong focus on responsible AI and community engagement La Salle-URL empowers students and researchers to develop projects that serve people and applied research reflect a deep commitment to ethical leadership and global citizenship reinforcing the university’s role as a changemaker for a fairer and more sustainable future Learn more about La Salle - Ramon Llull University UNAI SDG Hub 9 Vice-Chair for Research: Nagaoka University of Technology Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT) of Japan aims to develop creative abilities based on its educational philosophy the “Science of Technology (GIGAKU),” and fosters both domestic and international students through its core education and research system which is built on a seamless and progressive pathway from Colleges of Technology (KOSEN) to NUT NUT has sent a large number of highly skilled engineers into the world over the years to contribute to the development of industry and infrastructure NUT will continue to strive to cultivate leading engineers with practical and creative abilities who not only drive innovation but are also strongly committed to realizing a sustainable society in line with the SDGs Learn more about Nagaoka University of Technology Learn more about SDG 9 by downloading the SDG 9 Fast Facts and Infographic Unai Emery holds value in reviving players’ fortunes Marco Asensio and Joao Felix serve as illustrative examples It is why Aston Villa pushed for Joao Felix for a third time and have agreed to sign Asensio on loan — and why Emery believes he can turn around the career of Marcus Rashford Villa agree to sign Asensio on loan from PSG “If there is a coach in European or even world football who is characterised by recovering players and getting the most out of them, it’s Unai Emery,” said Monchi, president of football operations, talking to El Partidazo de COPE on Thursday evening Those close to Donyell Malen, who signed from Borussia Dortmund this month noted how forwards like him have typically peaked under Emery’s tutelage was the Spaniard’s favourite type of forward — a natural talent whose potential needed unlocking The Athletic reported on Saturday that Villa were close to striking an agreement with Manchester United for Rashford to join on loan until the end of the season The club will cover a significant portion of his £320,000-a-week salary (more than $400,000) Villa close to agreeing loan for Marcus Rashford Villa’s approach was at Emery’s request. He is enthralled by the 27-year-old, regardless of form and a reputation that is increasingly generating concern Emery believes Rashford is one of the most threatening attackers in the world and backs himself and his support network to rejuvenate the player News of Rashford’s potential signing has excited Villa staff and observers close to players speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships There is a feeling that Emery’s firm backing has scope to tap into a different side of Rashford — “putting an arm around the shoulder,” as one source described it — and providing a platform that plays to his natural attributes Villa staff believe Rashford is a multi-faceted attacker despite historically favouring a left-wing role as a No 9 or between the lines behind Ollie Watkins as a No 10 Having broken through at United as a centre-forward Rashford’s pace and trickery enabled him to evolve into an inside forward on the left who causes damage when allowed to bear down on goal As his pass receptions map below shows, Rashford’s best seasons — in 2019-20 and 2022-23 when he scored 17 Premier League goals in each — came when he received passes in the half-spaces close to the left side of the penalty box when he scored 11 league goals) coincided with the consistent availability of Luke Shaw at left-back Shaw is excellent at making overlapping runs giving Rashford the licence to roam into the spaces where he is most effective Rashford often struggled when Shaw spent lengthy periods on the sidelines Lucas Digne has thrived in a similar role this season helping Villa stretch defences by staying high and wide on the left with Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey making firm cases to lead the pecking order on the left Emery’s system requires the wide forwards to operate as ‘No 10s’ (attacking midfielders) which means relying less on directness — a key element of Rashford’s play — and more on off-the-ball movement and link-up play — not his greatest strengths He has played four times on that flank this season but more frequently operates centrally or on the left taking only seven shots and getting just one of them on target He created some wonderful chances via crosses to the back post who converted the one below against Brentford in October last year That game was one of Rashford’s best performances this season, as his player dashboard below illustrates One thing that stood out was Rashford’s tendency to drift over to his favoured left side making it easier for defences to trap United on the left flank and win the ball preferring to lay the ball off and run inwards This could pose issues for Villa as they rely on their right-sided forward to provide width given his dependence on power over precision makes scoring goals from the right side more difficult Playing as a second striker alongside or just behind Watkins would also require adjustments Rashford has often operated as the lone striker in recent years at United Ruben Amorim used a strike pairing of Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee in a 4-0 win over Everton in December an example of how useful his running in behind can be His finish through Jordan Pickford’s legs was excellent Rashford’s unfamiliarity with the role — coupled with his tendency to drift towards the left — was evident Rashford ran to the left instead and Everton won back the ball is right-footed and similar situations could arise Rashford is willing to receive the ball with his back to goal but rarely uses his pace to turn his marker He often chooses the first-time pass backwards which helps retain possession but also allows defenders to get touch-tight to him knowing they can get away with leaving space behind Rashford limits his left-foot usage while dribbling which can narrow down passing and shooting angles if he is played on the right side of the pitch This is not to say Rashford is not adaptable — he has found a way to deliver goals under multiple managers at United — but there will be challenges Villa’s system without the ball does not involve high-intensity pressing with the team setting up in a compact structure that limits space in midfield Rashford’s United tenure has seen him consistently attract criticism for his off-the-ball deficiencies but Emery’s system should reduce that load Emery is not always the most personable in his man-management owing to his tactical obsessions and introspective nature The void is filled by the network of staff around him close the distance to his squad at certain times identifying when certain personality types need tough love — such as John McGinn — or affirmation of their ability On last season’s summer tour of the United States Emery spoke at length with some of the younger players in the squad asking about their ambitions and their backgrounds Emery holds individual meetings with players and has said a lot of those one-on-one conversations are with Watkins or Jhon Duran, who joined Al Nassr for more than £60million this week Emery would show Watkins clips of the previous strikers he worked with highlighting their movement between the goalposts He will show the players clips of their movement in training and matches He will remind that player how good they are and how much better they can be The manager’s commitment to Villa has been met with delight from his players have elevated their work rate and professionalism Several members of the dressing room recognise the improvements they have made since he joined exhaustive analysis meetings validating Emery’s preparation methods Ezri Konsa and others have gone to the next level under his guidance are key leaders and police the dressing room such as Vidagany and individual player coach Rodri — who Watkins credits for his improvement — are on hand to assist players with their needs or matters Emery preaches the importance of “consistency” and for players to be “demanding” in themselves It is a short career and maximising every training session match and analysis meeting should be a prerequisite If Rashford can integrate those principles as Emery and multiple Villa sources believe he can (Top photo: Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images) UNAI SDG Hub 5 Chair: CHRIST (Deemed to Be University) our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are deeply rooted in education and outreach programs to foster awareness and action on global challenges Initiatives like the Integrated Slum Development Programme and collaborations with industries for experiential learning exemplify our commitment encouraging hands-on R&D in green technologies By integrating the SDGs into academics and community development we empower individuals and create innovative solutions for a sustainable future staying true to our holistic education and societal transformation mission Learn more about CHRIST (Deemed to be University) UNAI SDG Hub 5 Vice-Chair for Teaching and Education: St integrates the Sustainable Development Goals across academics Our best practices include aligning each department and forum with the SDGs by ensuring they conduct at least one relevant program annually We embed sustainability into curricula and encourage faculty and students to publish SDG-focused research and file innovation-driven patents we stay committed to driving local and global impact Learn more about St. Xavier’s College for Women (Autonomous), Aluva UNAI SDG Hub 5 Vice-Chair for Research: Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) PUCPR actively promotes SDG 5 by advancing gender equity through institutional policies the university implemented training against gender-based violence strengthened its Gender and Diversity Committee and supported initiatives focused on empowering women in STEM PUCPR also hosted events addressing gender equality and reinforced inclusive practices in hiring and student support These actions reflect a sustained commitment to building a more equitable academic environment aligned with the principles of the UN 2030 Agenda Learn more about Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) UNAI SDG Hub 5 Vice-Chair for Outreach and Partnership: Osun State University (UNIOSUN) UNIOSUN’s efforts in support of the SDGs is best exemplified in the range of activities carried out by its Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute (GASDI) GASDI has emerged as a centre of excellence offering higher degrees in the SDGs’ focal areas of Indigenous Knowledge; Governance and Peace Studies; Climate Change GASDI also organizes an annual international sustainable development dialogue To fast-tract the implementation of SDG No.5 UNIOSUN recently developed a new gender policy courtesy of a prestigious Gender Grant from the Association of Commonwealth Universities the 17 SDGs are conspicuously displayed as customized signages at the entrance to each of the six campuses of UNIOSUN Learn more about Osun State University Learn more about SDG 5 by downloading the SDG 5 Fast Facts and Infographic UNAI SDG Hub 16 Chair: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University Learn more about the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University.  UNAI SDG Hub 16 Vice-Chair for Teaching and Education: Narxoz University At Narxoz University we strive to make a difference through the implementation of our innovative Vision-2030 faculty and knowledge and providing true global education for real life the idea of supporting the Sustainable Development Goals is deeply embedded in our Strategy and is vital to Narxoz's way of life Narxoz University has publicly committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2060 We fully support the principles of sustainability and strive to promote green initiatives across our campus and community Our commitment reflects our dedication to building a better Learn more about the Narxoz University UNAI SDG Hub 16 Vice-Chair for Outreach and Partnership: University for Peace - UPEACE advances global peace education through interdisciplinary collaboration Its departments—Peace and Conflict Studies and Regional Programmes—integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into research UPEACE partners with regional offices worldwide to promote leadership and inclusive solutions to conflicts it established the Chair on Countering Illicit Trade and Preventing Transnational Organized Crime expanding its focus on justice and security By blending academic rigor with practical action UPEACE empowers students and communities to build sustainable peace across cultures and borders Learn more about the University for Peace - UPEACE Learn more about SDG 16 by downloading the SDG 16 Fast Facts and Infographic Unai Emery has spoken of his excitement at facing his former club Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final stage with Aston Villa Emery’s side booked their place in the last-eight on Wednesday with a three-goal home win over Club Brugge to complete a 6-1 aggregate victory setting up a tie against the French champions Villa’s 53-year-old manager was at the helm of PSG between 2016 and 2018 winning seven domestic trophies but unable to find success on the European stage “We are very excited and very motivated,” Emery said when asked about playing PSG in the quarter-finals “PSG showed their capacity against Liverpool who were the best team in Europe until yesterday “It is special because I haven’t come back since I left there I haven’t been back to Paris since then and I will visit there playing against them “We are going to try and analyse our strengths and identify their weakness.” who joined Villa mid-season from PSG on a loan deal scored twice in the victory over Club Brugge and spoke of settling in at the club “Every match the atmosphere is top,” Asensio told TNT Sports after the match Now we have a little break and to think about the upcoming objectives We’re adapting to the new players but we’re in the right way In one or two weeks we have time to think about this [PSG] game.” Despite being on loan from the French champions Asensio is eligible to play against parent club in the Champions League Villa are back in action in their FA Cup quarter-final away to Championship side Preston North End on March 30 before travelling to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League three days later playMarco Asensio takes Chelsea down again (0:48)The best stats from Aston Villa's comeback win over Chelsea as Marco Asensio scores his first two goals for his new side Rashford joined Villa on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season on Feb 2 after being frozen out of Ruben Amorim's side and has made three appearances for his new club as he rebuilds his fitness and confidence Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio combined to earn Aston Villa all three points from their clash with Chelsea on Saturday. Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesAsked how he has approached coaching Rashford since his arrival at the club Villa boss Unai Emery told Sky Sports: "Support him Try to use the skills in our tactical idea Try as well to be demanding with him in our demands as well tactically and everything "Of course he played a fantastic 45 minutes We want to try to be consistent through him in our squad and in our way we are going to do [that] And the most important for him is try to feel comfortable here Be here in good atmosphere with us and this is my objective." Sources have told ESPN the deal that has seen Rashford join Villa on loan until the end of the campaign includes an option to make the transfer permanent Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans said the team has benefitted from Rashford's arrival in the Midlands he's very important for us in the way that he plays because he gives us something on that left-hand side," Tielemans said every time he got the ball he was dangerous." The victory buoyed Villa's hopes of a Champions League berth next season as Emery's men climbed to seventh in the table on 42 points Information from Reuters and ESPN's Rob Dawson contributed to this report UNAI SDG Hub 11 Chair: De Montfort University has put the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the heart of Teaching Research and Civic Engagement since 2015. The approach has been to embed the SDGs in courses and include SDG targets and indicators into new research projects extra-curricular student activities deliver positive community impacts students and partners to impact ecological and humanitarian issues through projects including refugee advocacy the UN’s Football for the Goals Campaign and climate talks which bring COP to campus. Finally DMU’s Estates team is working towards emission reduction targets to ensure that campus operations become net zero by 2032 Learn more about De Montfort University UNAI SDG Hub 11 Vice-Chair for Teaching and Education: University of Cologne is committed to continuing to integrate sustainability into its research The 2023 UoC Sustainability Strategy follows a whole-institution approach that guides the university’s actions by bringing researchers together in an interdisciplinary UoC Sustainability Research Hub and supporting them with project funding The UoC also fosters sustainability in teaching and lifelong learning by promoting sustainability competencies in study programs In addition to offering a university-wide Sustainability Forum stakeholder dialogue the UoC works with student initiatives and partners to create a meaningful and tangible impact for communities the UoC is working towards decarbonizing its campus operations Learn more about University of Cologne UNAI SDG Hub 11 Vice-Chair for Outreach and Partnership: University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) Since embracing its vision as a multidisciplinary and sustainable university UEH has continuously contributed to the SDGs through five key pillars: education UEH has been ranked in the Top 301–400 THE Impact Rankings 2023 and Top 956 UI GreenMetric 2024 UEH fosters lifelong learning and delivering Glo-cal education that integrates global knowledge and the 17 SDGs with local contexts; multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research addressing local issues with global thinking; prioritizes sustainability in decision-making; develops a low-impact green campus through waste reduction and energy efficiency; and builds a strong community with an extensive network of SDG-focused partnerships Learn more about University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) Learn more about SDG 11 by downloading the SDG 11 Fast Facts and Infographic It has been reported the Blues are interested in Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, an individual who already boasts a friendly record with Cole Palmer Selling Rogers would certainly not be in Villa’s ideal plans however PSR rules could be about to force clubs to make tough decisions surrounding their better players The Englishman would likely be coming into the side to play on the wing, with reports linking them to a number of other new attackers to potentially replace Jadon Sancho Chelsea are the favourites to sign Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund however any signing would likely feel a little underwhelming after links to Rogers and the club should push to try and get that deal over the line A swap deal could benefit both sides. Unai Emery has admiration for a number of Chelsea players, after taking Axel Disasi on loan in January However, this relationship pales in comparison to his admiration of Joao Felix a player who the Blues will be desperate to part ways with at the end of the season Emery is ‘in love’ with Felix and his time at AC Milan has not left the Italian side wanting to sign him permanently this summer A swap deal would work out well for both parties with the two clubs doing a similar piece of business during the previous summer window When both sides needed to balance their books a bit, they struck a deal last year that saw Ian Maatsen leave the club for a very respectable transfer fee Omari Kellyman came the other way however his tenure at Stamford Bridge is yet to really kick off after a magnitude of injury problems The attacking midfielder is yet to feature for the first team since joining however a month ago Kellyman confirmed his season was already over The Blues are likely to find it difficult to find a permanent suitor for Felix at the end of the season however could have accidentally stumbled across the perfect opportunity to upgrade his profile The gap to thread the pass between Ollie Watkins and the Cardiff City defender performed on the move and with just over a second between receiving the ball and playing the pass allowing Watkins to take the ball in his stride and go one-on-one against goalkeeper Ethan Horvath That passage of play is a reflection of Asensio’s start at Aston Villa boasting refined technique and an aptitude to read the game several steps ahead He has a positional awareness only those at the very top level possess say a fundamental reason for the 29-year-old joining was manager Unai Emery’s insistence that he would operate as a No 10 Having the licence to drift between the lines in the final third was appealing and regarded as his “natural position” — one he has not played regularly since his year on loan to Espanyol in the 2015-16 season Asensio identified that he could move behind Cardiff’s central midfielders who were all watching Youri Tielemans on the ball He drifted from the right inside channel to the left One of Asensio’s greatest strengths is knowing what to do with the ball before receiving the Spain international’s first touch is heavy and into space Emery made a big play to sign Asensio in the summer of 2023 following the expiration of his contract at Real Madrid A move failed to materialise — Asensio joined Paris Saint-Germain instead — but they never lost contact Through his previous connections at Paris Saint-Germain where the midfielder had moved and he had been manager A return to the No 10 role felt a necessity Real Madrid often deployed a 4-3-3 system under Carlo Ancelotti that incorporated two No 8s instead of an archetypal No 10 private concerns gathered as to whether Asensio not only at his current club but with potential suitors Emery explained to the Spain international how he would integrate into Villa’s structure: it would be tweaked for his arrival Morgan Rogers would move towards the right with the right-back (Matty Cash in the image below) — usually conservative in positioning and forming a third central defender in the build-up — tasked with providing width Emery detailed how Asensio could take Villa “to the next level” with his skill set offering an upgrade or complementing other attacking options Asensio ranked in the top one per cent for attacking midfielders from Europe’s top five leagues for passes into the final third (3.81 per 90 minutes) and key passes (2.56 per 90) Asensio’s ability to play forward with quality and thread passes in tight areas gives Emery a potential solution to breaking down low blocks The former Madrid player ranked in the top one per cent for expected assisted goals (0.42 per 90) which Opta measure as the likelihood that a completed pass will become an assist and progressive passes which indicate how impactful he can be No 10s still form an important part of the way Emery wants Villa to play and he encourages his attacking midfielders to overload in central areas and be in high enough positions to crash the box The 2-2 draw with Liverpool showed Asensio’s capacity to combine centrally he initially comes short to receive Tyrone Mings’s pass This splits Liverpool’s central midfielders and creates a passing lane for Watkins Asensio runs off the back of Ryan Gravenberch and has the ball returned to him by Watkins Emery’s in-possession patterns are designed to reach the byline and end with a cutback cross with a key part of his remit being to make late runs into the box and score goals And his successful adaptation has been underlined with five goals in his first seven games — the same number he had scored for PSG in 44 matches His first goal against Cardiff was a case in point with Marcus Rashford pulling the ball back for Asensio who had started his run on the edge of the box Asensio’s impact has been enormous. His penalty to give Villa a 3-1 lead in the first leg of the last-16 Champions League tie against Club Brugge may prove decisive. He did not start which caused him to miss the win against Brentford four days later with Asensio surprised by the intensity of training and knowing he still has to adapt to the rhythm of English football which is more transitional and has a higher volume of counter-attacks Asensio frequents the restaurants in Birmingham’s city centre and has settled in an apartment High professionalism and standards are driven by Emery and his Spanish-speaking contingent extending to over two dozen Villa are covering his entire salary while he is on loan and will decide on a longer-term future in the summer If the initial optimism is anything to go by continuing Asensio and Emery’s relationship will be a straightforward decision (Top photo: Asensio celebrates after scoring Club Brugge in the Champions League playAston Villa 'very disappointing' in Monaco defeat (1:20)ESPN FC's Frank Leboeuf slams Aston Villa for their poor display after their 1-0 defeat to Monaco in the UEFA Champions League Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has said he fears his side's 1-0 defeat to AS Monaco on Tuesday may have cost them their chance to finish in the top eight of the Champions League Villa, who are in Europe's top club competition for the first time since 1983, are close to finishing in the top eight -- which would guarantee qualication into the knockout stages -- but they now need results to fall their way after securing 13 points with one game remaining Emery's side were spent most of Tuesday's game playing from behind after Wilfried Singo's strike in the eighth minute It was only their second defeat in the league phase this season "It was my mistake when we played with two strikers because we lost positioning," Emery said We had seven corners and not one close to scoring "It was important to get three points because I think we lost the opportunity to get in the top eight Villa return to action when they take West Ham United at Villa Park on Sunday before hosting Celtic in their final Champions League league phase clash on Jan