´Amazing´ Villa boss Emery makes playing ´so easy´, says former Sevilla star

Unai Emery makes life “so easy” for his players, according to the Aston Villa manager’s Europa League-winning goalkeeper.

Beto played for Sevilla as they won three consecutive Europa Leagues under Emery, featuring in the first two title runs, including starring in a penalty shoot-out triumph against Benfica in the 2014 final.

And despite going on to endure slightly more testing spells in charge of Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, Emery has continued to deliver on the European stage.

He guided Villarreal to another Europa League win, before returning Villa to European football and then the Champions League. Villa beat Young Boys 3-0 in their league phase opener on Tuesday.

Emery’s success comes as no surprise to former Portugal international Beto, who explained the brilliance of his old boss while speaking at the Thinking Football Summit organised by Liga Portugal.

“Unai has many things that make him different,” Beto told Stats Perform. “The passion that he has for football makes him different.

“The way that he studies every detail, not only in the opponent but in his team. He knows every player. He knows how to get the best out of each player in his team.

41 years we’ve waited for this.

UP THE EUROVILLA pic.twitter.com/UFGMYYnDgP

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) September 17, 2024

“For us, it was amazing, he knew what was going to happen in the 45th minute of the game. This is going to happen.

“If the picture is this one, we will act this way. If the game is like in another way, we’re going to act this way.

“So, he had everything planned; every scenario, every situation he had planned. And for us, the players, we had all the information, we had everything. We just had to be ourselves and put our talent at the service of the team.

“And for us, it was so easy to play being coached by Unai. He was an amazing person.

“He respects football. And I think it’s one of the secrets of Unai, he respects football. He gives everything for football.

“So, not only in Sevilla, I know he had some bad moments in Arsenal, but he came back in Villarreal. He won another Europa League in Villarreal.

“He brought back Aston Villa to the top. I have too much credit for Unai because I love him, respect him and he will be forever one of my best coaches and my best friends.”