UNAI EMERY still has Aston Villa dreaming of yet more magical European nights with a top-seven spot confirmed.
Just over a month ago, the Villa fans filled the away end at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of a thrilling Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
More of the same next season?
They are now in prime position to give it a bloody good go after a gritty victory at fellow Euro-hopefuls Bournemouth – nervously seeing out the final ten minutes with ten men following Jacob Ramsey’s second yellow.
Ollie Watkins’ strike deep in first-half stoppage time leaves the Midlands boys right in the thick of a top-five Royal Rumble with only Europa League finalists Manchester United and Tottenham left to play.
It will be a fascinating finale.
Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest will be throwing punches until the very last. Any of them would take fifth right now.
Emery has had a taste of the Villa Park atmosphere when the Champions League is in town.
You would not bet against the wiley Spanish operator earning another crack at it, especially with his Villa in fine end-of-season fettle with eight Prem wins from their last ten.
For Andoni Iraola’s Cherries, this was a huge opportunity missed, but an eighth-place Europa Conference League spot is still within reach ahead of a mid-week trip to the Etihad later this month.
That in itself should be an achievement for the south-coast outfit.
Emery continued his policy of tinkering with his starting line-up in search of freshness and energy, making four changes.
A damaging injury to Youri Tielemans also forced his hand. Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Amadou Onana and Ramsey were thrown into the mix.
The constant rotation has worked a treat for Villa since late February, winning seven of their last nine Prem outings – with two losses coming away from home.
It has been a trend of the Midlands side’s campaign – since August, all eight of their top-flight defeats have been on the road. They could not afford another away-day disaster.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, had collected three points from just one of their last six games at the Vitality with four home losses in the New Year – a run that has left them scrambling for European qualification when for a long time it looked a near cert.
So, who would buckle this time?
Fresh off coming from behind to down Arsenal at the Emirates, Iraola made just two changes, perhaps the most surprising benching Justin Kluivert – without a Prem goal since February – for Alex Scott.
But there was a welcome return for Antoine Semenyo after Dango Outtara hobbled off last week in North London, and potentially missing the rest of the season.
Scott was involved from the off in an uneventful opening ten minutes football-wise – taking a hefty Mings elbow to the jaw off the ball, spending a long time on the floor receiving treatment.
Another injury – this time the left hand of Kepa Arrizabalaga – ensured this one was unlikely to be a free-flowing, end-to-end blockbuster of a battle for continental bragging rights.
This was also a battle of the Basque – Emery and Iraola pitting their wits against each other for sixth time, and the Villa boss boasting an unbeaten record against his compatriot, stretching back to their days of going head-to-head in La Liga with Villarreal and Rayo Vallecano in the 2021-22 campaign.
Emery’s tactical set-up was finding spaces in Iraola’s midfield. Onana went on a lung-busting run that teed up Watkins, but his touch was heavy and Ramsey’s curling effort flew into the stands.
Scott meanwhile was left in a heap once more, this time floored by Onana.
The 21-year-old carried on, but had signalled to the medical team he was still suffering from that Mings mauling, and later picked up a needless booking.
The hosts were lacking a spark up top, an Evanilson header comfortably saved by Emiliano Martinez the best they could muster in the first half.
This was turning into a bitty, tense affair. In the 36th minute, Semenyo wiped out Ramsey, which sent the Villa bench potty – especially as the foul bizarrely was left unpunished.
Emery soon flung his arms in frustration again as Marco Asensio rattled the post with a low drive from outside the box.
The game sprung to life in first-half injury time.
Kepa pulled off a stunning double save – first with his feet from a Boubacar Kamara header from close range and then with his hands to deny Matty Cash on the follow up.
The visitors were getting closer, desperate for a half-time lead, and it came following a cynical Adam Smith foul on Ramsey that saw both square up to each other and both receive bookings.
From the resulting free-kick, Semenyo picked up the clearance and foolishly tried to dribble his way through three Villa players, losing out eventually to Cash as Morgan Rogers flung in a delicious cross that Watkins helped on into Kepa’s far side-netting.
A quick VAR check for offside was quickly dismissed and the celebrations in the away end were telling – one of jubilation but also relief.
Iraola responded by bringing off a dizzied Scott for Kluivert in search of some magic, but Bournemouth’s second half was a lot of huff and puff, which suited Villa to the ground
That was until Ramsey picked up another caution in the 80th minute for a trip on David Brooks, encouraging Bournemouth to throw the kitchen sink and more.
Semenyo thumped just wide and then had a volley saved on the line by Martinez with seconds left as Daniel Jebbison somehow headed over.
Emery’s Villa march on with Europe’s big boys in their sights once more.
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