Unai Emery, the Master of the Europa League

Football option Europa League. Sitting on a bench for seventeen years now, Unai Emery has a real mastery of the C3. A material that he likes and where he has often obtained very good results and even very good mentions. To continue to shine and lead Villarreal to the title in this exercise, he will first have to pass the obstacle Arsenal in the semi-final. The first round will take place Thursday at home. A doubly special meeting therefore for the native of Hondarribia, since he will challenge his former club.

After his stint at Paris Saint-Germain, Emery quickly returned to service in London. Successor of the legendary Arsène Wenger, he coached Arsenal between May 23, 2018 and November 29, 2019. It was on this day that the English team announced his dismissal. “The decision was taken following the results and performances far from the required level”, could we read on the official press release. Replaced by Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery knows he is eagerly awaited, he who has taken control of the Yellow Submarine since July 2020. Seventh in La Liga, his team is counting on his immense experience in the Europa League to win.

Sixth semi-final of the Europa League for Emery

Indeed, he is the technician who has played the most finals in this event. Six in total, if we count the upcoming double confrontation against Arsenal this 2020-21 season. In 2012, he led Valencia CF to this stage of the competition. Unfortunately, his team lost twice against Atlético de Madrid (4-2 in the first leg, 1-0 in the return), who won that year. After a brief stint at Spartak Moscow, he then settled down in Seville. A club with which he managed to win three consecutive C3. The first in 2014 against Benfica (0-0, 4-2 tab). The second was won the following year in 2015.

It was against Dnipro on May 27. The Andalusians won 3-2 thanks to goals from Krychowiak and Bacca (doubled). Emery made the pass of three since in 2016 Sevilla once again retained their title. This time, the Iberian club had offered the scalp of Liverpool on May 18. A 3-1 success with goals from Gameiro and Coke (double). Crowned with these successes, Unai Emery then went to PSG, where he played C1, before returning to C3 with Arsenal. A club that he also led to the Europa League final in 2019. But the Spaniard and the Gunners were beaten 4-1 in the final by Chelsea on May 29.

The Spanish technician aims for his fourth success in C3

Again in the final square with Villarreal, the coach born in 1971 wants to shine again in his favorite competition (3 wins, 5 finals). “To have reached the semi-finals is recognition of the excellent work the club has done in recent years. We’re sorry the fans can’t go on the pitch, but we know they’re with us and we’re going to enjoy it with them. We have the opportunity to take a historic step forward with a club that enjoys great credibility ”. Then he mentioned Arsenal, a team he knows perfectly well.

“Arsenal are a good team with good footballers. They have a lot of experience in this competition. It’s going to be a very nice double-confrontation, very hotly contested and difficult. But we are ready and we can’t wait to play this semi-final. We are falling against Arsenal and it is an even greater challenge for us, who lost to them in the Champions League semi-finals in 2006. This is more important than the fact that I have been at Arsenal for more than a year. We want to experience it as something unique, it is a source of pride to enjoy the European semi-finals with this team ”. A team that he wants to lead to the end and with which he hopes to win his fourth Europa League. Unai Emery knows the method to achieve it!