Unai Emery has called on Aston Villa to raise their performance levels and deliver a more consistent display when they face Barcelona at Camp Nou in the Champions League on Tuesday, 03 November 2026.
The Aston Villa manager’s demands came after his side were held by Fulham in a match that frustrated the Spaniard. Villa lost control in the second half and allowed their opponents to recover, underlining the need for the team to maintain its level throughout matches rather than relying on isolated periods of good performance.
Aston Villa have avoided defeat in their past five matches, recording three wins and two draws in the Premier League. However, Emery does not believe that run has fully repaired the damage caused by their difficult start to the season.
He said his players must improve quickly before taking on a Barcelona side he regards as a major test at Camp Nou.
“I want to see more consistency,” said Emery. “In our last five league matches, we won three and drew two. These are not bad results, but our bad start is still a problem.
“We have to change our plan quickly in preparation for Tuesday’s match against Barcelona. We must keep working and move forward.”
Emery is aware of the scale of the challenge facing Aston Villa in Barcelona. The home side have lost only one match at Camp Nou this season, with that defeat coming against Real Madrid.
That record increases the importance of Villa producing a disciplined and focused performance in the Champions League. Emery will expect his players to avoid the drop in intensity and control that allowed Fulham back into their recent match.
The result against Fulham extended Aston Villa’s unbeaten run to five games, but the performance left Emery convinced that further progress is needed. His message to the squad is that positive results alone will not be enough against Barcelona unless they are matched by greater consistency across the full 90 minutes.
Aston Villa must therefore respond quickly to the manager’s criticism when they meet Barcelona on Tuesday, with Emery seeking a display capable of keeping them competitive against a team that has been beaten just once at home this season.
