Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said Sunday’s Premier League match at Old Trafford is "the same level as Barcelona" — emphasizing Manchester United’s stature and the difficulty of playing there.
Emery made the remark while previewing Villa’s away fixture against Manchester United. He noted that the level Villa faced against Barcelona in the Champions League — the reigning LaLiga and Champions League champions — represents the highest standard for top-tier European matches. "The level we were facing, this is the highest level for the Premier League and Champions League matches," he said, according to The Associated Press.
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Villa have lost each of their last six meetings with Manchester United at Old Trafford across all competitions. Emery has never won there as a manager.
Villa enter the match on a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Manchester United have one Premier League win this season under interim manager Michael Carrick.
Emery called United "a fantastic club" and noted they qualified for last season’s Champions League. He acknowledged their inconsistent start but said they "should recover their consistency."
He stressed that overcoming Old Trafford requires Villa’s best individual and collective performance. He recalled a decisive match there two years ago — when Villa narrowly missed Champions League qualification after a loss.
Villa play Manchester United on Sunday at Old Trafford. Emery confirmed he is in talks about a new contract with Aston Villa.
More: Premier League · Soccer · Aston Villa · Manchester United · Barcelona
