Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has shared his thoughts ahead of Thursday's crucial Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest at Villa Park, with kick-off set for 20:00 BST. The boss is riding a wave of emotion, calling the opportunity to reach the final a "dream" come true.
Injury concerns loom large for Villa, as Emery confirmed that defensive midfielder Amadou Onana will "obviously not" be available for the second leg. Onana picked up a calf injury during the first leg last week and missed training entirely. However, Emery remains "confident" that the squad has enough depth in midfield to "still get a performance overall."
On a brighter note, John McGinn is expected to be back in action. Despite sitting out Sunday's match against Tottenham due to hamstring tightness, the midfielder has "trained normally" and should be ready to go. Rotation has been a hot topic after Villa's three consecutive defeats in all competitions, but Emery defended his decisions. "Yes, we had some players out injured, and we also needed to rest some because they were at risk of getting injured. It's always about finding the right balance to get the performance. Sometimes we achieve it, sometimes we don't—that's football," he explained.
The stakes couldn't be higher for Villa, who have turned their season around dramatically after failing to win any of their first six games. Emery is buzzing with excitement: "I am excited, 100%. I am so motivated. When I arrived here three-and-a-half years ago, it was a dream to be playing a semi-final in the Europa League." He also reflected on past cup experiences, noting that this is a new challenge. "In the Conference League semi-final two years ago, the first leg was at home and the second leg was away. Last year, we only went as far as the quarter-finals in the Champions League. We did play in the FA Cup semi-finals last year, but that was just one match in London."
As for the opposition, Emery acknowledged that Nottingham Forest "have the advantage" and are "the favourites" heading into this decisive clash. With everything on the line, Villa Park is set for a night of high drama and European dreams.