Exclusive: Unai Emery urges Aston Villa to be UEFA Champions League 'protagonists' before Celtic showdown

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Unai Emery has encouraged his players to keep dreaming as the inaugural UEFA Champions League league phase comes to a thrilling conclusion. The Aston Villa boss said his target was to turn the club into one of European football's protagonists, and they are one step away from the last-16. Celtic stand in their way on Wednesday, and Emery's team need to win for a chance of a top-eight spot.

Emery says Villa belong in Europe's elite - 'This is my target'

Video credit: TNT Sports

Unai Emery has urged his players to continue dreaming and become protagonists on the European stage, as the first step of their UEFA Champions League journey reaches a thrilling climax.

Aston Villa welcome Celtic to the West Midlands on Wednesday evening, and a home win could see them clinch automatic last-16 qualification on the final night of the league phase.

discovery+ will show every kick from all 18 matches on a special night promising unrivalled chaos and late drama, with 10 clashes to be broadcast on TNT Sports.

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Looking back at Villa’s successful Champions League campaign thus far, Emery said it was "no surprise" that his team are sitting in ninth with one match to play.

"[There is] no surprise because the players have enough level to play in this competition and of course we have players with experiences in the Champions League before as well," Emery told TNT Sports.

"Then this is the new way I want to try to have here, to be more or less consistent. It’s very difficult. But each moment, we have to use it to feel comfortable, to feel confidence.

Emery ‘dreams’ of making Aston Villa regulars in Europe

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"And then of course always to try to develop strongly in our mind, to play, competing and demanding to be in Europe, like this year, like last year, but as well with the opportunity to be protagonists.

"This is my [biggest] target I can have with the players here. Adjust it to be competitive and be protagonists, playing against teams in Europe, with different levels of course, but facing them and playing individually and collectively in good performances, and more or less with the possibility to beat the teams we are facing."

An electric 1-0 victory over six-time winners Bayern Munich in October is an undoubted highlight of their campaign to this point, with Jhon Duran netting a sublime 79th-minute winner.

Emery is no stranger to pulling off shock scalps in the competition, having seen off the Bundesliga behemoths in the 2022 quarter-finals.

Highlights: Exceptional Duran strike gives Villa famous win against Bayern

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And the 53-year-old said that unexpected triumphs like these are what help make his sides European protagonists.

Emery said: "You firstly have to get in your mentality how much effort you have to put in to be competitive and to have the possibility to beat a team like Bayern Munich in 90 minutes.

"And rarely is the moment you can feel you are not favourite, but football can give you one chance, one chance to compete.

"Maybe, you have to defend more than normal and you have to be strong as well in your box, defending crosses, defending individual actions, even the goalkeeper being more successful than normal.

"But this is [what it means] to be a protagonist."

'This is Europe' - Emery on importance of Bayern, Brugge experiences

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Even if they beat Celtic, Villa would require a slip-up from at least one of Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen to have a chance of finishing inside the top eight.

But progression to the knockout stages is already secured, "a dream" in the eyes of Emery.

"Yes, it’s a dream, and we have to continue dreaming to achieve our individual and collective objectives and to play consistently in Europe," said Emery.

"So we’re speaking about out dreams; this is something positive, because you have to try to set your objectives as high as possible, like our dreams, and to work hard to get it."

Ramsey: 'We deserve to be here'

Jacob Ramsey insisted that the current Aston Villa team belong at this level, regardless of their surprise results against Bayern Munich and Juventus.

The 23-year-old forward scored his first European goal on his UEFA club debut, netting in Villa’s 3-0 win over Young Boys in September.

And while Ramsey missed the stalemate against Juventus in November, the Englishman said their performances against Europe’s elite are indicative of the club’s newfound status and mentality.

"Even without those wins, last season we qualified for the top four, so we deserve to be here," said Ramsey.

"I think we showed it in those big games - Bayern Munich, Juventus at home, two massive, global teams, big teams and they were really statement wins and draws."

'We deserve to be here' - Ramsey reflects on 'statement wins' for Villa in UCL run

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Ramsey also gave credit to his manager, who took Sevilla to three successive UEFA Europa League titles between 2014 and 2016.

"If you look at his record, I think he’s played in European competitions in most of his career," said Ramsey.

"He knows how to rotate the team, he knows how to set up certain situations at certain times and obviously to have him, with all of his experience and all his knowledge in these competitions, feeds back on the players and we can only get better from them."