Unai Emery, Aston Villa’s manager, expressed contentment at securing a crucial point against Zrinjski, ensuring direct passage to the Europa Conference League’s last 16. Nicolo Zaniolo’s inaugural goal for the club finally broke the stalemate in the second half after Villa struggled to create clear chances despite dominating possession in the initial 45 minutes.
While Villa conceded late, it was sufficient to clinch the top spot in Group E, thus bypassing the playoffs and turning focus to other fronts until the round of 16 in March.
Emery acknowledged it wasn’t Villa’s peak performance, noting a lack of quality in penetrating Zrinjski’s defense. However, he found positives in the outcome and certain aspects of the team’s performance.
“We’re happy because our goal was to top the group,” Emery shared with VillaTV. “We fielded some players who haven’t had regular game time due to injuries, providing opportunities for Jacob Ramsey, Alex Moreno, Leander Dendoncker, Filip Marschall, and Tommi O’Reilly.”
He emphasized the importance of these players gaining confidence and playing minutes. While Villa aimed to secure a victory, achieving first place in the group was their primary target.
Emery highlighted the significance of enjoying the European journey with the supporters and the club’s objective of aiming for success in this competition. Despite the shift in focus to the Premier League and the upcoming FA Cup, European success remains a priority for Villa and Emery.
The team’s progression from an initial defeat to Legia Warsaw to claiming four wins and a draw showcases growth and maturity on this new platform. Emery’s expertise in European competitions will be pivotal during the knockout stages, as he’s demonstrated strategic rotation and involvement of the entire squad to ensure readiness when called upon.
