Emery pledges progress as Aston Villa prepare for Super Cup clash with PSG
Unai Emery pledged to keep Aston Villa moving forward at a press conference inside the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg on 11 August 2026, on the eve of Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain.
Emery arrived in a relaxed mood after a summer of high-profile departures and used humour — joking about his English and impersonating captain John McGinn — while answering questions about the scale of change at Villa. He acknowledged the turnover of players and staff but argued the club had continued to progress: “You ask about the changes of coaches and players, but McGinn is intelligent and his answer was fantastic,” Emery said with a smile. “When he arrived here [in 2018] they were in the Championship and every year since there have been changes and still the club has moved forward. “If we compare ourselves to other clubs like Man City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, we are competing with them. We don’t have their power … yet.”
The summer departures included Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne, the latter returning to PSG where he could face his former club in Salzburg. Chelsea paid £117m for Rogers, who had joined Villa from Middlesbrough for £8m at Emery’s request, while Tielemans — signed on a free transfer — was sold for £35m; Digne had reclaimed the left-back spot from Ian Maatsen, who was signed for £38m.
Squad availability for the Super Cup is affected by World Cup absences: Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martínez remained on holiday after international duty, and the club has also lost three key members of its coaching staff, including set-piece coach Austin MacPhee. Emery remained the focal point at Villa, a fact emphasised by captain John McGinn and noted by supporters travelling to Salzburg.
John McGinn addressed expectations for the season in full: “Similar to where it has been in the past few seasons,” he said. “I think we have consistently competed with the best in England, the best in Europe, no matter what the competition is. We will have our challenges. There is a lot of change, but when you look at other clubs around England there is a lot of change there as well: a lot of coaches changing, a lot of players changing. “But what we still have is our main core, same manager, same methods, same desire to achieve more. A lot of people thought we had reached our ceiling a couple of seasons ago, and we proved them wrong. We have still got the same hunger and desire to go and achieve more. Our job is just to integrate the new players and try and make them believe, in the same way the players in the last few seasons have believed. I’m really excited by the sort of ‘new Aston Villa’.”
Emery reminded reporters of recent nights against PSG and outlined the club’s commercial and sporting ambitions, citing increased revenues and stadium plans. He recalled Villa’s 3-2 second-leg quarter-final victory over PSG 16 months ago at Villa Park when Gianluigi Donnarumma made three saves to deny extra time and Willian Pacho blocked Ian Maatsen’s volley with 28 seconds remaining. The manager said: “The Premier League is the best league in the world and Aston Villa can now have better brands in the way we are,” Emery said. “I am so, so, so happy how the club is committed together with us. [I am so happy] with how we are getting better, keeping our consistency in the Premier League … the club is making a huge effort to try to be in the same direction as me. They are trying to extend Villa Park to achieve 50,000 supporters next season. We are increasing our budget through good results on the pitch, by sometimes selling some players and being consistent like we are, and as well expecting a high level, like we are more or less keeping.”
The trip to Salzburg brought around 6,000 Villa supporters and a stadium facade showing images of McGinn and team-mates celebrating the Europa League win in Istanbul in May; Emery also noted his own mindset ahead of the match. “I am feeling comfortable, happy, very demanding, even more than the last years,” Emery said. “We want more. We are not stopping here.” PSG were described in the briefing as a global brand, with a megastore on London’s Oxford Street and chief executive Victoriano Melero cited as comparing the club on the pitch with Real Madrid and off it with names such as the LA Lakers and Ferrari.
Aston Villa will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday, with Emery insisting the club’s approach and continuity under his management will remain central amid the summer turnover.