'Proud' Emery relishing PSG quarter-final with Aston Villa
Unai Emery faces a reunion with former side Paris Saint-Germain after Aston Villa saw off Club Brugge in their Champions League last-16 tie.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is thrilled to have steered his side into a Champions League quarter-final, but now wants even more as they face a daunting clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
Villa beat Club Brugge 3-0 at Villa Park on Wednesday to advance through their last-16 tie as 6-1 aggregate winners against the Belgian side.
The Villans are the ninth different English side to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League – the most teams from a single nation to reach this stage of the competition.
"For our club, it is very important to be in the Champions League quarter-finals. To play against Paris Saint-Germain is something we have to be proud of," Emery said.
"We are at this level. We have to be proud, but we want more. We want to compete against the best teams in the world. Now our priority is to try to be close to the level we are facing."
Emery, who has won the Europa League four times, said PSG would be formidable opponents after they defeated Liverpool to set up the quarter-final clash.
"Of course, to play a quarter-final is fantastic. We are very excited, very motivated," he said.
"To play against PSG is very difficult. They showed their capacity playing against Liverpool, the best team in the Premier League, the best team in Europe until yesterday."
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The Villa manager, who was PSG coach from 2016-18, was disappointed with his side's first-half performance against Brugge in the second leg of their knockout, when they failed to score after the visitors had a man sent off.
But it all came good with three goals after the break for a resounding aggregate victory.
Villa have won seven of their 10 matches in the Champions League this season (D1 L2) – only Lazio and Valencia (both 8 in 1999-00) have won more games in their debut campaign in the competition.
"I'm very happy how we competed over the two matches," he said.
Emery singled out Marco Asensio for praise after his second-half double when he came on as a substitute.
"We are happy with him," the Spaniard said. "We are protecting him because he is not 100 per cent, but today he was feeling good.
"He wanted to start the match, but I decided to protect him. He played in the moment we needed him and he took the responsibility to do his task and score goals."