Unai Emery has made it clear: Aston Villa won't be defined by whether they lift the Europa League trophy this season. As the Villans prepare to host Nottingham Forest at Villa Park for the second leg of their semi-final tie on Thursday, the message from their manager is one of perspective and progress.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Villa face a must-win scenario to keep their European dream alive and book a spot in the Istanbul final. Despite entering the semi-finals as favorites—with Emery himself chasing a record-extending fifth Europa League title as a manager—the Spaniard is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

"To achieve the semi-final is a huge achievement. Winning a trophy is very difficult," Emery said in his pre-match press conference. "Very, very, very difficult. It's not a defeat if we are not achieving a trophy."

His words carry weight, especially given Villa's long wait for major silverware—the club hasn't won a top-tier trophy since 1996. Emery emphasized the bigger picture: "The only way forward is to keep going, improving, having opportunities in the present and the future. We have now the opportunity, but only one team wins."

The manager even broke down the odds with characteristic honesty. "When I spoke before the first leg, we had 25% of the possibility to win a trophy. Now it's maybe less because we started losing. We have 50% or maybe less to play the final. This is football, and you must respect every competition."

Villa enter Thursday's clash on the back of three consecutive defeats across all competitions, but don't expect any doom and gloom from the dressing room. When asked if it had been a difficult week, Emery dismissed the notion entirely, replacing it with pure excitement.

"Difficult? Wow. I am excited. 100%. So, so motivated," he said. "When I arrived here three-and-a-half years ago, it was a dream to play a semi-final of the Europa League."

Reflecting on the journey, Emery added: "At the beginning of this season after five matches in the Premier League, before we started the Europa League, I was worried about how we would finish the season. To be where we are in the league and to be playing the second leg of a semi-final in the Europa League at home? Fantastic."

For Villa fans, this is more than just a knockout tie—it's a testament to how far the club has come under Emery's guidance. Whether they turn the tie around or not, the message is clear: this season is already a success, and the future is bright.