Aston Villa manager Unai Emery wants to add the Europa Conference League to his collection of European trophies.
The Spaniard has won the Europa League four times with Sevilla and Villarreal and has a chance of adding silverware in Europe’s third-tier competition.
Villa must come through a tough last-16 tie against Ajax, with the first leg in Amsterdam on Thursday (17:45 GMT).
“I respect each competition a lot in Europe,” said Emery, whose Villa side are fourth in the Premier League.
“We are going to face Ajax, and they were playing in the semi-finals of the Champions League five years ago.
“I was in the semi-final with Villarreal in Spain in the Champions League. I played in the Europa League and won. I appreciate European football in every competition and now want to enjoy the Conference League.
“If we are playing here with two teams like Ajax and Aston Villa, it is good for both teams.
“European football always has prestige. This competition started two years ago, Roma and West Ham have won and both are prestigious clubs.”
Ajax, whose squad includes England midfielder Jordan Henderson, are fifth in the Dutch Eredivisie and twice lost 2-0 against Brighton before finishing third in their Europa League group to drop into the Europa Conference League.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
