Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has revealed the shocking moment when manager Unai Emery admitted he was worried about the team's early-season struggles, a meeting that left the squad fearing the worst. Now, as Villa stand on the brink of their first trophy in three decades, Konsa reflects on the dramatic turnaround.
Speaking on The Players' Tribune, Konsa recalled the meeting early in the season when Villa were stuck in a downward spiral. After missing out on Champions League football and enduring a poor transfer window, the team started the campaign without a goal in their first four games and languished in the relegation zone.
“If you had told me in September that we'd get back into the Champions League and play the Europa League final, I would have laughed at you,” Konsa wrote. “First five league games, we scored one goal. We didn't win. Everyone was writing us off.”
The turning point came when Emery called a meeting. “The boss loves meetings, long meetings. But this one was different. Nobody was talking. Our heads were down. I was hoping he'd fix the team, but he sat down and looked at us. He said, ‘Guys, I'm really worried.’ I just remember thinking, ‘This is bad. Really bad.’”
Konsa noted that Emery had never used that word in three years. “No matter how badly we've done, he's always backed us. But in that meeting, you could tell something was wrong. Nobody seemed to have any solutions.”
The tide turned with a 1-0 win over Bologna in the Europa League, sparking a run of 17 wins in 19 matches. Villa now face SC Freiburg in the final, having already secured Champions League qualification. Konsa's revelation highlights the resilience that has defined Villa's season.
