Unai Emery saluted Gary Shaw after Aston Villa got off to a flying start in the Champions League, dedicating their 3-0 victory over Swiss champions Young Boys to the late striker and insisting he wants his team to attempt to emulate the 1982 European Cup-winning side. After 41 years away, Villa eased to a win on their return to Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
The Villa manager paid tribute to Shaw, who died aged 63 on Monday after falling ill earlier this month. “Forty-two years [ago] they achieved by winning the Champions League and winning the trophy,” Emery said. “We want to dedicate this victory to Gary Shaw, his family and all of the Aston Villa family. I want to try to get in our way and follow what that [1982] team achieved.”
Emery also tried to pour cold water on the substitute Jhon Durán inciting the home crowd by rushing to celebrate in front of them after scoring, only for his goal to be disallowed. In the 86th minute Amadou Onana built on first-half goals by Youri Tielemans and Jacob Ramsey in Berne. “Of course, if he ran to the side with our supporters it would be better,” Emery said, before adding: “About his work and his behaviour … I think it’s not serious. It’s not very serious.”
Emery conceded his side initially struggled to get to grips with the synthetic pitch despite training on the surface 24 hours earlier but they assumed control after Tielemans capped a short-corner routine with a goal. Ramsey feasted on some slapstick defending to add a second 11 minutes later and Ollie Watkins also had a goal disallowed for handball to make it 3-0 before half-time.
Watkins was unhappy at being replaced by Durán but Emery played down concerns over a potential ankle injury. “He’s working well, he played well and I decided to change him like another player,” Emery said. “He’s OK.”
