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Aston Villa have been in exceptional form since Unai Emery's appointment on October 24, 2022, and the Spaniard has them on the cusp of a return to European football.
All they had to do on the final day of the 2022/23 season was to win at home against Brighton to secure 7th place and a Conference League qualifier berth for 2023/24.
The Villans' resurgence under Emery has put them in contention for European qualification, which is not unfamiliar territory for the club despite the three seasons they spent in the Championship until 2019.
Here's how the top half of the table looks as Villa target a triumphant end to the season.
European places as of Saturday, May 27:
- Champions League berths (Top 4): Man City, Arsenal, Man United, Newcastle
- Europa League berths (5th & 6th place): Liverpool, Brighton
- Conference League qualifying berth (7th place): Aston Villa
| Pos | Team | Points | Matches Played |
Goals Scored |
Goal Difference |
Next Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Man City | 89 | 37 | 94 | +62 | @ BRE, May 28 |
| 2. | Arsenal | 81 | 37 | 83 | +40 | vs. WOL, May 28 |
| 3. | Man United | 72 | 37 | 56 | +14 | vs. FUL, May 28 |
| 4. | Newcastle | 70 | 37 | 67 | +35 | @ CHE, May 28 |
| 5. | Liverpool | 66 | 37 | 71 | +28 | @ SOU, May 28 |
| 6. | Brighton | 62 | 37 | 71 | +20 | @ AVL, May 28 |
| 7. | Aston Villa | 58 | 37 | 49 | +4 | vs. BRI, May 28 |
| 8. | Tottenham | 57 | 37 | 66 | +4 | @ LEE, May 28 |
| 9. | Brentford | 56 | 37 | 57 | +11 | vs. MCI, May 28 |
When were Aston Villa last in Europe?
Villa last competed in Europe when they participated in the UEFA Europa League during the 2010-11 season, marking the third successive campaign in which they had taken part in the competition.
Unfortunately for Villa, their European exploits ended in August against the same opponents on both of their latter two attempts to reach the Europa League proper.
Rapid Vienna went through in the second leg of the playoffs at Villa Park in 2009 and 2010, winning on away goals after a 2-2 draw on their first visit and going through 4-3 on aggregate after a 3-2 win in front of almost 30,000 people a year later.
Villa fared better in 2008, progressing from the group stage to set up an unsuccessful round of 32 tie against CSKA Moscow, who drew 1-1 at Villa Park before winning the return leg 2-0.
How many times have Aston Villa been in Europe?
Starting with a first-round exit from the 1975-76 UEFA Cup - the predecessor to the Europa League - there have been 17 seasons when Villa have been in Europe.
Villa earned a comeback 2-2 draw in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the 1977-78 competition after Johan Cruyff had scored one of Barcelona's goals at Villa Park, and they took the lead at Camp Nou before the Spanish giants produced two late replies to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Better was to come four seasons later, when a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam landed Villa the European Cup and allowed them to enter the UEFA Super Cup the following season, which they won with revenge over Barca.
Their European Cup defence ended in the quarterfinals against Juventus, and five early exits from the UEFA Cup followed between 1983 and the 1997-98 season, when they reached the quarterfinals but were beaten on away goals despite a second-leg home win over Atletico Madrid.
Alongside Paris Saint-Germain and Troyes, Villa were one of three winners of the 2001 Intertoto Cup – a tournament with a reward of UEFA Cup entry, which was discontinued in 2008.
| Season | Competition | Stage |
| 1975-76 | UEFA Cup | Round one |
| 1977-78 | UEFA Cup | Quarterfinals |
| 1981-82 | European Cup | Winners |
| 1982-83* | European Cup | Quarterfinals |
| 1983–84 | UEFA Cup | Round two |
| 1990–91 | UEFA Cup | Round two |
| 1993–94 | UEFA Cup | Round two |
| 1994-95 | UEFA Cup | Round two |
| 1996–97 | UEFA Cup | Round one |
| 1997-98 | UEFA Cup | Quarterfinals |
| 1998-99 | UEFA Cup | Round two |
| 2000-01 | Intertoto Cup | Semifinals |
| 2001-02 | UEFA Cup** | Round one |
| 2002-03 | Intertoto Cup | Semifinals |
| 2008-09 | Europa League*** | Round of 32 |
| 2009-10 | Europa League | Playoffs |
| 2010-11 | Europa League | Playoffs |
* Club also won the Super Cup and finished as Intercontinental Cup runners-up
** Won the Intertoto Cup
*** Qualified through Intertoto Cup
