Emery says Aston Villa 'have work to do' after 3-0 Nou Camp defeat by Barcelona
Aston Villa's unbeaten Champions League run ended with a 3-0 loss at Barcelona, where Unai Emery said his side must improve to reach the hosts' level despite a competitive first half.
Aston Villa's perfect start to the Champions League ended with a 3-0 defeat at Barcelona, a result Unai Emery said showed his team still have ground to make up on the Spanish champions. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring after seven minutes following a costly error by Joao Gomes, and Raphinha's quick double early in the second half settled the contest.
Villa had arrived with wins over Club Brugge, Fenerbahce and Viking, but this was their sternest test, and Emery used it as a measure of progress against the La Liga leaders and five-time European champions. Despite falling behind, the visitors took the game to Barca in an absorbing first half and created chances through Matty Cash, Gomes and Johan Manzambi without converting. Leon Goretzka later hit the post after the game had already slipped away.
Emery declined to blame Gomes for the opening goal, saying the squad had overcome such mistakes before, but acknowledged the performance fell short of the standard he wants. "We have work to do to get to this level," he said, adding that Villa must be more ruthless in the attacking third and that 3-0 was perhaps harsher than the display deserved.
Barcelona were missing defenders Andreas Christensen, Eric Garcia and Xavi Espart, and handed a Champions League debut to 20-year-old Brian Farinas at right-back. The hosts had not kept a clean sheet in 18 Champions League games, and those defensive concerns gave Villa encouragement before the match.
Captain John McGinn said Barcelona made the right decisions at key moments and that the night was a significant learning experience. Supporters may take heart from Villa's willingness to compete, but the defeat is a reminder of the gap still separating them from Europe's elite. Emery's record at the Nou Camp remains poor, and Villa now turn to a trip to Manchester United on Sunday.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
