Unai Emery is a Spanish professional football manager and former player who is the current head coach of Premier League club Aston Villa. He is known for his attacking style of play and his ability to get the best out of his players.
Early life and youth career
Emery was born in Hondarribia, Spain, on October 3, 1971. He started playing football at a young age and joined the youth academy of Real Sociedad at the age of 10. He progressed through the ranks of the academy and made his senior debut for the club in 1990.
Senior career
Emery spent most of his senior career in Spain, playing for Real Sociedad, Valencia, and Barcelona. He also played
Emery began his managerial career in 2004, when he was appointed manager of Lorca Deportiva. He led Lorca Deportiva to promotion to Segunda División B in 2006.
In 2007, Emery was appointed manager of Almería. He led Almería to promotion to La Liga in 2007 and to the Europa League final in 2010.
In 2013, Emery was appointed manager of Valencia. He led Valencia to the Europa League final in 2014 and to the Copa del Rey final in 2015.
In 2016, Emery was appointed manager of Sevilla. He led Sevilla to the Europa League title in 2014, 2015, and 2016, becoming the first manager to win the competition three times.
In 2018, Emery was appointed manager of Arsenal. He led Arsenal to the Europa League final in 2019, but lost to Chelsea.
In 2020, Emery was appointed manager of Villarreal. He led Villarreal to the Europa League title in 2021, defeating Manchester United in the final.
Managerial Profile
Emery is an attacking-minded manager who likes his teams to play possession football. He is also known for his ability to get the best out of his players, especially young players.
Emery is a highly respected manager who has been praised for his work at Almería, Valencia, Sevilla, Arsenal, and Villarreal. He is considered to be one of the best managers in the world.
"Unai is a very talented manager. He has a clear vision for how he wants his team to play. He is also a very good communicator and he is able to get the best out of his players." - Gerard Pique, Barcelona defender
