Aston Villa secured a crucial 1-0 victory away against Lille in the Europa League on Thursday, becoming the only Premier League team to win in the first leg of the round of 16 across all European competitions this week. Following the match, Unai Emery revealed he used the poor performance of English clubs in the Champions League as motivation for his team.
"We respect this competition because we know how difficult it is to win away in European football," Emery said. "We understand the situation for English teams, as seen in the Champions League this week, how hard they are finding it."
This win was particularly significant as it came after a difficult week for Premier League sides in European competition, with English teams recording only two draws and four losses in the Champions League.
Emery Sets New Club Record with 100th Victory
The victory marked Emery's 100th win as Aston Villa manager, achieving this milestone in just 3 years and 4 months, after managing 181 matches in charge. This makes him the fastest manager in Villa's history to reach the 100-win landmark.
Among current Premier League managers, only Pep Guardiola (137 wins) and Mikel Arteta (118 wins) have accumulated more victories since taking charge of their respective clubs. Emery also holds the highest win rate in Villa's history at 55.2%, surpassing legendary manager Ron Saunders, who led the club to one First Division title and two League Cups, with a win rate of 45.6%.
Villa Provides Hope for Premier League in European Competition
Aston Villa's victory against Lille provided a much-needed boost for English football in Europe. With nine Premier League clubs competing in European competitions this week, Villa stood alone as the only team to secure a first-leg win, offering some respite after a challenging week for the league.
