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Unai Emery fires 'means nothing' warning ahead of Aston Villa vs Viking FK

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has warned his players that they must make it three wins from three in the Champions League

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery

Unai Emery insists that Aston Villa’s strong start to their Champions League campaign "will mean nothing" if they fail to perform against Viking FK on Wednesday night.

Villa are targeting a third successive win in the league phase after beating Club Brugge 3-2 in Belgium and Fenerbahce 6-0 at Villa Park last week.

They head into the game on the back of a 1-0 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League, their fourth victory in five matches.

“We have made a good start, but the results of our first two games will mean nothing tonight if we are not able to perform at the level required to win this match,” Emery’s programme notes read. “In the Champions League, every opponent is important and every team can cause an upset.

“In this competition, we must take every game seriously. There is no room for complacency, and we cannot allow ourselves to be influenced by previous results or by who might be considered the favourite.

“The team is making progress, and little by little, the players we brought in during the summer are adapting to the demands, the standards and the tactical understanding required of them. I am very pleased with the effort, the discipline and the work ethic the team has shown over the last few weeks. Results are simply a consequence of the good work that is done every single day.

“In the same way, tonight we need the atmosphere and the support from our fans to be at the highest possible level. We achieved that against Fenerbahçe. I went home particularly happy that night, not only because of what happened on the pitch, but also because of the fantastic atmosphere inside the stadium, all the preparations and the way our supporters came together on a Wednesday night.

“We know it is a late kick-off, and we understand the difficulties that creates for people who have to work the next day and for families with children who have school. But tonight, more than ever, we need everyone behind the team.

“As we all know, this season we all have to make an extra effort at Villa Park to make sure the atmosphere remains as special as it has always been.”

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