Aston Villa captain John McGinn opens up on relationship with manager Unai Emery hailing the Spaniard as one of the club’s ‘greatest ever’

Aston Villa captain John McGinn insists that everyone at the club is excited apart from Unai Emery and hailed the Spaniard as one of ‘our club’s greatest managers’ after his side made it three wins out of three in the Champions League.

‘We are excited,’ McGinn stressed. ‘I think the manager is the only person who does not get excited. He focuses his full energy all the time, like he says every single day, that he is demanding on us. 

‘He does not let us take our foot off the gas so we can use our energy, enthusiasm and the excitement we have but his determination and intensity is unmatched. 

‘No matter what happens until now and whenever he leaves – we hope it’s never – he will certainly go down as one of our club’s greatest managers.’

Asked what Emery was like as a person, McGinn added: ‘He is just so driven. I have never met anyone like him. 

Villa captain John McGinn (right) has heaped praise on manager Unai Emery (left)

The Scot says Emery has had a profound impact on the club since taking over in 2022

Emery (pictured) he says, will likely go down as one of the club’s ‘greatest-ever managers’

‘He has said to me a few times that he was an ok footballer but he wishes he had the determination and work-rate he has as a manager. 

‘No one can question what he puts in, the effort and everything which comes his way and our way is on the back of hard work. 

‘You feed off your leader. He is our leader and we feed off that. He is certainly improving a lot of us. There is a great feeling to the place.’

McGinn, who missed the win over Bayern Munich due to injury, scored the opening goal in Villa’s win over Bologna on Tuesday night with a wide free-kick that curled in, evading everyone and ending up in the back of the net. 

It was the 30-year-old’s first ever Champions League goal and he revealed the move was something that Villa have worked on with setpiece coach Austin MacPhee.

‘The goal is something we worked on,’ said McGinn. ‘It happened at Man Utd last season, aiming for the back post. I felt a bit of a fraud celebrating but it meant a lot. We work on it a lot. 

‘The wide free-kicks at home to United the other week were a bit of a problem so we worked on it a couple of days ago heavily. 

‘The boys were quite close to getting a touch but thankfully it went all the way in and I will take it,’ the Scotland international added.

Jhon Duran scored the second but was visibly frustrated when Emery took him off for Ollie Watkins though McGinn insisted that the Colombian ‘wasn’t doing it in a bad way’ despite Emery stressing post-match that his players must respect the values of the club.

‘[Duran] has been brilliant. He is someone who is full of life, full of character and he has great humour. 

‘I think the sky is the limit for him. He is so focused and he looks like he is really enjoying his football. I said to him in the dressing room before the game, how many are you going to score? He said two but one will do,’ said McGinn. 

McGinn shared his thoughts on Villa’s Champions League victory over Bologna on Tuesday

McGinn opened scoring with a curled free-kick before Jhon Duran scored to seal the 2-0 win

‘I think he just wanted to play more. He wasn’t doing it in a bad way. I was there keeping an eye on him. 

‘He was saying he was enjoying it and wanted another 10 minutes but we have the luxury of having him and Ollie [Watkins]. Two top strikers and long may that continue.’

Villa welcome Bournemouth on Saturday, where victory would put them just one point behind league leaders Liverpool, who travel to Arsenal on Sunday.