'Most Villa fans would pick any other ground - but Emery breaks hoodoos'
Back-to-back Champions League qualifications would be pivotal in maintaining the momentum of the Unai Emery revolution at Aston Villa.
It would not only further cement the club's footballing status at the top table but also provide a vital financial boost - especially amid ongoing wage pressures and broader fiscal challenges.
In the bigger picture, Villa simply cannot afford to fall short. Already Tottenham, one of the two clubs they are aiming to displace in the so-called 'Big Six' has sneaked into the Champions League via the Europa League final.
Falling behind them now risks more than lost prestige - it could mean losing key players and missing out on top transfer targets needed to strengthen this summer.
And for a final-day decider? Most Villa supporters would pick any ground but Old Trafford, which has been the 'Theatre of Nightmares' over the past seven decades.
Since 1955, Villa have won just three times - in 1983, 2009 and 2021.
Still, Unai Emery is no stranger to breaking hoodoos. He delivered Villa's only home win over Manchester United this century - and now has the chance to complete a rare managerial double.
To do that, the players need to summon the mindset and composure that deserted them in recent semi-finals - games where they were favourites, but faltered.
If they can rise to the occasion and finish on 69 points - one more than their fourth-placed finish last season - even if other results do not fall their way, it still marks tangible progress.
To the players and the manager: one last push. On the club's 150th anniversary, securing consecutive Champion League qualifications would provide a great foundation for a potential new legacy period in the club's history.
Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said
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