Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has made it crystal clear: the Premier League is the club's top priority as they push for a coveted Champions League spot. The Spanish tactician, who has transformed Villa into genuine contenders, isn't getting carried away by their European run—he knows where the real bread is buttered.

Villa recently booked their place in the Europa League final with a commanding 4-1 aggregate victory over Nottingham Forest. They'll face Freiburg in Istanbul on May 20, with the winner earning a golden ticket to next season's Champions League. But Emery isn't putting all his eggs in one basket.

Currently sitting fifth in the Premier League—the final Champions League qualification spot—Villa have a golden opportunity to secure their return to Europe's elite competition through domestic form. "If we are losing the final, we are not getting a trophy, and we are not getting the Champions League position," Emery warned ahead of Sunday's crucial trip to Burnley.

"The priority to achieve our objective is through the league. In the league, we are not performing the last matches like we were. The consistency is still to try to set the consistency during the league." Emery's words carry weight, especially with tough fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester City looming on the horizon.

"Burnley on Sunday is a huge opportunity—a huge opportunity to try to get the fifth position definitely. This opportunity is on Sunday, and of course, it's the priority now, and it's very, very important." For Villa fans dreaming of Champions League nights, every point in the league matters just as much as any European final.