Aston Villa manager Unai Emery secured his side’s Champions League dream on Tuesday night, seeing the Spaniard’s success now compared to Jurgen Klopp’s journey at Liverpool.
Aston Villa fans became Manchester City followers for 90 minutes on Tuesday evening, as Pep Guardiola’s side beat Tottenham to confirm Villa’s place in the Champions League.
Spurs’ defeat meant that they could no longer catch the Villans in the race for fourth place, seeing the Midlands club record their highest finish in the Premier League since the 1995/1996 campaign.
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It’s been a remarkable season of growth for Unai Emery and his squad, who can now celebrate their achievements this term having secured their place in the 2024/25 Champions League.
Considering Villa’s path since the Spaniard’s arrival, it’s easy to forget that this season was the former Arsenal boss’ first full year at Villa Park, seeing his journey so far compared to that of another great Premier League manager.
Dion Dublin compares Unai Emery to Jurgen Klopp after Aston Villa qualify for Champions League
Speaking on the Football Daily podcast, pundit Dion Dublin was full of praise for Emery’s impact at Villa, explaining how the manager has ‘changed everything’ at the club.
Dublin formed a comparison between the 52-year-old’s journey at Villa to the path that Jurgen Klopp walked at Liverpool after taking over from Brendan Rodgers.
“It’s very much similar to Jurgen Klopp, he’s gone to a football club which is huge, the football club in stature deserves to be in the Champions League.
“Now, the team do as well, the manager does, the city does and I think he’s changed everything to do with Aston Villa.
“I’ve been around the club and everyone’s happy with the manager, the manager speaks to every member of staff, he knows their names, he’s made such a difference to the city, I think he’s been outstanding.”
Emery’s project at Aston Villa is something truly unique considering how quickly he has become a valued part of the club in every way, with his impact on the city highlighted by Dublin.
That being said there are some similarities to the Spaniard’s journey and the rise of Klopp’s prominence at Anfield.
Unai Emery would love to follow in Jurgen Klopp’s Champions League footsteps
In the German’s first season at Liverpool, the Reds finished 8th in the Premier League, hitting a low point before the former Borussia Dortmund tactician could put his stamp on the club.
Gradually, Klopp began to see the results of his influence on Merseyside, as after two fourth-place finishes, Liverpool claimed their sixth Champions League, followed by their first Premier League title.
Emery is still in the early stages of his time at Villa and has skipped some of the chapters that Klopp battled at Anfield however, the German’s tale of transformation with the Reds could be the blueprint for the Spaniard’s ambitions in Birmingham.
For now, Villa will relish the successes of this season thanks to the guidance of the four-time Europa League winner, who is in good stead to bring the glory days back to Villa Park.
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