Igor Emery's Perspective on Unai's Return to Paris with Aston Villa
Igor Emery stands atop Real Union’s Gal Stadium, gazing towards the French border, merely a few hundred yards away. This Spanish third-division team is where he and his brother, Unai Emery, hold a majority stake. The next trip across the border will be for an exciting event: Unai’s return to the French capital on Wednesday evening, leading Aston Villa in their Champions League quarter-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain. This match highlights Aston Villa’s swift evolution under Unai’s leadership, stirring reminiscences of his two-season tenure in Paris. “My brother is an extraordinary manager,” Igor beams, attributing his acclaim not just to his trophy haul but the dedication and relentless hunger for improvement that fuel his success. He consistently seeks to learn, a quality Igor believes defines Unai’s remarkable progress.
Unai’s resounding success at Aston Villa seems untainted, yet his time in Paris paints a more nuanced picture. He accumulated five domestic trophies within two years, but his legacy at PSG is largely shadowed by an infamous match: the historic ‘La Remontada’ in Barcelona. Renowned for his European exploits with three consecutive Europa League trophies at Sevilla, Unai was hired by PSG to fulfill their Champions League aspirations. In his inaugural season, PSG secured second place in Ligue 1, but the devastating last-16 Champions League loss to Barcelona overshadowed their domestic achievements. PSG became the first team in the tournament’s history to be knocked out after securing a 4-0 advantage from the first leg—a collapse branded into the club’s folklore.
Speaking to The Athletic, insiders who experienced that fateful night disclosed the lasting wounds it inflicted, maintaining anonymity to safeguard their careers. Despite a general respect for Unai’s strategic prowess, the memory of that defeat overshadowed his Parisian tenure. “His era was defined by La Remontada,” recalls a PSG staff member, reflecting on the utter devastation that ensued. The match’s aftermath parodied PSG and Unai as football’s jesters. “Unai’s team lacked preparation for Camp Nou’s hostile atmosphere,” the source observes. “Relaxation turned to ruination through misjudged tactical choices—a humbling shock we couldn’t escape.”
The zeal to capture the elusive Champions League title built a suffocating pressure at PSG. This ambition detracted from appreciating domestic triumphs, such as a Ligue 1 title and dual Coupes de France and Coupes de la Ligue in Unai’s follow-up season. “At PSG and Arsenal, he refined his situational management,” reveals a confidant of Villa’s manager. Despite successes, the Barcelona saga sowed doubts, dwarfing his merit. “The narrative is dominated by La Remontada,” echoes a PSG insider. “Within PSG, Ligue 1 wins are expected—it’s Europe’s top prize that shapes a manager’s valuation.”
Having grown up across the French border, Unai speaks several languages, yet his limited French hindered him at PSG. At Villa, his close-knit team mitigates similar pitfalls. “In France, PSG is all-consuming,” notes another club source. “Handling such intensity without solid French was a huge challenge for Unai. His French successor, Tuchel, steeped himself in the language masterfully.” Unai thrives where his influence permeates club operations, though he eschews involvement in negotiations, instead prioritizing footballing oversight. Arriving at Villa, Unai promptly enlisted Damian Vidagany as an aide to manage off-field matters. Collaborating with Monchi, Villa’s transfer dynamics sharply contrast PSG’s lofty bureaucracy that marginalized Unai’s cohesive strategy.
Encountering vast egos in high-stakes settings strained Unai’s collective coaching ethos at PSG. “When I’m empowered, I excel,” Unai confided to The Tactical Room post-departure. “At PSG, Neymar’s ascension paralleled my tenure—a club determined to sculpt a star larger than life.” Neymar’s record-breaking transfer, alongside Mbappe’s, symbolized PSG’s elite status yet amplified Unai’s burden to deliver success. His tactically solid squads occasionally became disrupted by flamboyant individualism. Unai’s second season hurrahs ended by champions Real Madrid epitomized the escalating pressures and club politics.
Despite PSG’s local dominance, internal fissures grew amid cliques and oversight tensions. “Remaining was partly due to a lack of suitable replacements,” suggests a squad insider. Unai’s efforts to synthesize relationships with players, such as early rapport with Cavani, reflected his focus on specifics over broad-stroke issues like managing executive expectations. His reluctance to relinquish control conflicted with PSG’s demand for more expansive management styles among star players. While PSG teammates endured testing training sessions, personal connections like Unai’s rapport with Cavani highlight a rare relational success.
Unai’s eventual departure was inevitable, marked by contradictions and high-stakes maneuvers. As PSG claimed the league title, Unai announced his planned exit. Lingering speculations regarding his future were proven correct as PSG contended with divided leadership. “Neymar, emblematic tensions, dominated discourse—a coach misaligned amid egos,” reflects another insider. Still, Unai’s work ethic and shrewd tactics earned respect, as his repute grew fragile.
As Unai returns to Paris aiming to prove his mettle, his Aston Villa tenure reflects reinstated prestige, granting him holistic control over recruitment and team culture—a stark contrast to PSG’s hierarchical pressures. “A daunting atmosphere awaits,” predicts a PSG contact. “Despite his achievements, Paris mostly recalls that one devastating night. Yet victory against PSG would silence doubts of a coach once hindered by circumstances, now rightly celebrated amongst football’s elite.”