Emery on celebrating with Prince William and the importance of Villa Park after reaching Europa League final | OneFootball

Unai Emery revealed that Prince William celebrated Aston Villa’s Europa League semi-final win with the players in the dressing room.

After coming into the second leg of the tie 1-0 down, goals from Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Buendia and two from captain John McGinn turned the tie on its head.

Emery spoke about his side’s celebrations after a historic night for the football club.

“We spoke to the Prince William,” he said. “Yes, yes, yes. He was in the dressing room with the players and with me. And of course, he’s so happy as well.”

Aston Villa are currently 5th in the Premier League, but lost their last match in the competition at home to Tottenham. Emery says that despite getting to the final. Villa must stay focused on both competition until the end of the season.

“We need the Premier League,” he said. “We are not being consistent in the Premier League. In the last part of the season we have another opportunity because we are doing, overall, we are being so consistent in 35 matches, but not recently.

“I want to try to focus now the match on Sunday and try to get through the Premier League to get the Champions League position, because that is our fight now. Hopefully, we can get through it, through the Premier League, and then play the final.”

Under Emery Villa lost their last two semi-finals in a row. Once to Olympiacos in the Conference League in 2024 and in the FA Cup against Crystal Palace in 2025. Each time they have played the second leg away from home. The Frenchman spoke of the importance of playing at Villa Park in such an important match.

“We played the semi-final two years ago in conference against Olympiacos, but we played the second leg away. Last year, quarter-final, we played the second leg at home, but it was quarter-final. And we played the semi-final in London in the FA Cup.

“But to play one match like that, playing the second leg after the first leg in Nottingham, the second leg here, with the possibility to get a final, was the only moment we have had here at Villa. And of course, we were so, so motivated. 

“We were excited. We were confident about how the supporters were here, creating this atmosphere and they were focused and played and played and played.”