Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery has expressed confidence that his team is ready to vie for major trophies as they gear up to face Bologna in their third Champions League fixture of the season.
The Birmingham-based club has emerged victorious in both of their Champions League matches so far, marking their return to European football’s top-tier competition for the first time since the 1982-83 season.
"I don't want to waste my time here, that is my message. You can't waste your time here," Emery stated during a press conference on Monday.
"My objective here is to keep the same level we have now, Champions League and add more to be contenders for titles.
"This is the message, we love football, we love our work and we want to be successful."
Villa Park is set to host its second Champions League match — the tournament was renamed from the European Cup at the start of the 1992 season — following Jhon Durán's remarkable winning goal against Bayern Munich in their previous outing.
Emery emphasized that he doesn't want his team to be just participants and reiterated his ambition for the club to qualify for the competition consistently.
"We want to achieve the objectives and one of them is to play in the Champions League. It is not about playing there only because of some circumstances -- I want to us to stay there for a long time," the Spanish coach said.
"But it is difficult. Maybe sometimes you can have some problems or struggle in our way, but you have to be resilient. We want to be strong in the idea in our mind and create a strong mentality to always break barriers.
"We can believe, working like we are doing, we can keep it. This is my challenge, this is my objective now.”
As Major League Soccer (MLS) embarks on its 30th season, the league stands at a critical juncture, deliberating its future direction in the global soccer landscape.
The recent inclusion of San Diego FC as the 30th team exemplifies MLS's rapid expansion.
However, this growth prompts questions about the league's identity and objectives.
Bob Foose, executive director of the MLS Players Association, expressed concern, stating, "I've been disappointed in how little has been done so far to build on that momentum internally."
This sentiment reflects a broader debate on whether MLS should prioritize becoming a competitive world league or focus on strengthening its domestic roots.
The upcoming 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted predominantly in the United States, presents a unique opportunity for MLS to elevate its profile.
Despite achieving record attendance and expanding its fan base, the league still grapples with securing a firm foothold in the mainstream American sports consciousness.
Foose emphasized the urgency of strategic action, noting, "There should have been significant moves made over the last 12 to 18 months."
As MLS navigates this pivotal period, the decisions made now will likely define its trajectory in the evolving global soccer arena.
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