What happened? After replacing Steven Gerrard last week, Aston Villa have appointed Unai Emery as their new head coach. He will take over at Villa Park on November 1, after his work permit processes are finished.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Emery departs Villarreal following remarkable success with the Spanish club. He won the Europa League in 2020/21 before making it to the Champions League semi-finals last season, when they lost to Liverpool.
WHAT’S MORE: This will be his second term in England, following a dismal 18-month stint at Arsenal, where he was sacked. He did make it to the Europa League final, but Arsenal were defeated 4-1 by rivals Chelsea in Baku. He has also managed PSG, where he won Ligue One.WHAT THEY SAID: In a statement regarding Emery’s employment, Aston Villa stated: “Aston Villa is delighted to announce the appointment of Unai Emery as the club’s new Head Coach.”
Villarreal bid Emery well and praised his efforts while at the club. They went on to say: “Emery has gone down in Villarreal CF history for becoming the first coach to win a title with the club, the UEFA Europa League, as well as the historic achievement of reaching the Champions League semi-finals last year and helping the team qualify team for European competitions for two consecutive seasons.”
