Unai Emery has set his sights on writing a "new chapter" at Aston Villa ahead of Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest. The Spanish manager, a four-time Europa League winner, is aiming to guide Villa to their first trophy in 30 years.
Emery's Record in the Competition
Emery is no stranger to success in the Europa League, having won the competition four times and reached the semi-finals on seven occasions. He has won each of his last five semi-finals. However, Emery insists that past achievements will count for nothing as Villa prepare to face Forest.
"I have my own experiences before in this competition and different momentum as well," Emery said. "But it is completely different. In football, everything you have done before, though it may be fantastic, is done. Now is a new chapter and I want to write a new chapter here."
Forest Challenge Awaits
Emery expects a tight contest against Forest, praising the "fantastic" job done by former Wolves boss Vitor Pereira at the City Ground. Villa are aiming to avoid a third consecutive semi-final heartbreak after missing out on the Conference League final in 2024 and the FA Cup final last season.
"The most important experiences are the ones we have here together," Emery added. "Our experiences are a semi-final in the Conference League, quarter-final in Champions League. We must try to learn with our experiences, to respond better than we did."
Team News
Midfielder Amadou Onana is a doubt for Villa, with Emery expecting to learn more about his availability when the squad trains late on Wednesday afternoon.
