Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will get a shot at redemption for the lowest point of his stellar European career when he faces former club Paris St-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final.
This master operator ensured Villa completed the formalities of a last-16 win over Club Brugge with the minimum of fuss as a routine 3-0 win at Villa Park gave them a 6-1 aggregate victory.
It sets up a mouth-watering meeting with PSG, conquerors of Liverpool and the coming force in this season’s Champions League, for a place in the semi-final.
For Emery, it is the chance to take Villa’s dream even deeper into the tournament, but it is also an opportunity to heal the scars left behind following his mixed two years in charge at PSG.
Emery’s three successive Europa League wins with Sevilla earned him the occasion to succeed Laurent Blanc at PSG in August 2016.
He left with one league title in 2018, but a Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona, who were then coached by current PSG incumbent Luis Enrique, left a scar which victory in the last eight may at least go some way towards healing.
It encompassed arguably the highest and lowest points of a turbulent two years, with the Barcelona of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar thrashed 4-0 in the first leg in Paris in February 2017.
In a never to be forgotten second leg the following month, Barcelona won 6-1, with three goals in the last seven minutes, including Sergi Roberto’s 95th-minute winner.
Even after emerging victorious, Barcelona’s Enrique described the tie as “a horror movie not a drama”.
For Emery and PSG it was worse, not helped by officiating that is still a bone of contention in Paris to this day.
The two coaches will now meet again, with Enrique in charge of a young, vibrant cohesive PSG and Emery leading a Villa team carrying all the organisation and fierce discipline that are his hallmarks.
It will make for a fascinating contest – and one which will be freighted with meaning and significance for Emery.
The Spaniard’s outstanding reputation is restored. Even in a spell at Arsenal largely consigned to history, he took them to the Europa League final in 2019 where they lost to Chelsea, before winning the trophy again with Villarreal against Manchester United in 2021.
European football is simply Emery’s scene – and he will enjoy trying to plot PSG’s downfall.
He left Paris after two unfulfilled years where – like others before and after him such as Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino – he struggled to tame a combustible dressing room.
Emery, it was felt, was not forceful enough to impose himself on the big characters.
One incident, where Neymar – who had joined PSG from Barcelona in a £200m deal in summer 2017 – and Edinson Cavani argued over who would take a penalty in a meeting with Lyon in the following September.
It was suggested the Brazilian had tried to pull rank on Cavani, who then saw his penalty saved in PSG’s 2-0 win. This was used at the time as Exhibit A of proof that Emery lacked authority.
Nothing could be further from the truth at Villa.
Emery runs the show and they have been the beneficiaries as they broke the Premier League’s glass ceiling to reach the top four last season, following that up with an outstanding Champions League campaign.
When Villa were searching for a successor to sacked Steven Gerrard in October 2022, with the club just three points away from the Premier League relegation places, the list of candidates then under consideration now makes interesting reading.
The four main names were Ruben Amorim, now trying to wrestle with the dysfunctional beast that is Manchester United, Julen Lopetegui, who had a short spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers then was sacked by West Ham United this season after just six months and 20 league games in charge, Mauricio Pochettino – and Emery.
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Pochettino was not considering a return to the Premier League at that time, leaving Emery as the stand-out candidate.
He was the preferred prospect of owner Nassef Sawiris, who had sympathy for Emery having to succeed Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, believing his record of reaching the Europa League final and finishing fifth in his only full season deserved more credit and respect.
It was an inspired choice, as proved by the acclaim Emery received as he made his way off after another tactical masterclass against Club Brugge – a mixed first half of conservatism that at least ensured Villa protected their 3-1 first-leg lead sent to another level by half-time substitutes Marco Asensio, who scored twice, and Leon Bailey.
Villa’s manager did not look happy as he walked off at the interval, but it was a case of no harm done and he was quick to put things right.
Emery’s enduring ability to improve players was seen again in Marcus Rashford’s continuing renaissance in his loan spell from Manchester United.
He was tireless and energetic, forcing Kyriani Sabbe into the foul that saw him sent off after 16 minutes then putting Asensio’s second – Villa’s third – on a plate after 61 minutes.
Asensio has long been a signing desired by Emery and is demonstrating exactly why, his double taking his tally to seven in eight games.
Emery, who knows this stage and its strategies so well, ensured Villa set up the meeting with PSG without any alarms, the final half hour played out with the ease of a testimonial.
It demonstrated his attention to detail, his comfort in this European environment and at Aston Villa.
This is effectively Unai Emery’s club, given power on a scale that means he can control all footballing aspects. He craved control and Villa give it to him.
He has brought 23 Spanish coaches to Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training headquarters, all working within strict demarcation – while the bond with old Sevilla ally, president of football operations Monchi, is vital.
PSG will now be subjected to Emery’s usual relentless, meticulous video analysis. He will leave no stone unturned in his attempt to take Villa’s odyssey even further.
Villa’s Premier League season has been mixed, but they remain in eighth place, only four points off Chelsea in fourth place. They also have an FA Cup quarter-final away to Championship side Preston North End.
Emery said of returning to Paris: “To play in the quarter-final is fantastic. It is very difficult. It will be a huge challenge for Aston Villa, for the supporters, for the players, the coaches and me. I didn’t come back there since I left, I didn’t go there playing or visiting in Paris.
“Paris St-Germain showed their capacity against Liverpool. We are going to try to identify their weaknesses and prepare as best as possible. It’s very important for our club to be in the Champions League, to play against PSG is something to be excited about.”
Once more, Unai Emery is a man on a European mission.
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