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Aston Villa Narrowly Misses Champions League Spot After Tough Season
15 Aug
Summary
- Aston Villa failed to qualify for Champions League last season
- Villa secured a Europa League spot despite the setback
- Financial constraints limit Villa's transfer activity this summer
As of August 15th, 2025, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is preparing for his third full season at the helm, determined to build on the club's recent progress. Last season, Villa were left bitterly disappointed after failing to qualify for the Champions League, a result sealed by a woeful performance in their final match against Manchester United.
Though Villa still managed to secure a Europa League spot, this backward step has posed a challenge as they look to battle the increasingly strong competition for those coveted Champions League places. Emery, who does not accept regression on a wider scale, has set his sights on a top-four finish this campaign.
However, Villa's summer transfer window has been a slow and tough-going affair, as the club has faced financial constraints due to UEFA's Squad Cost Rules and the need to keep their salary level below 70% of overall revenue. This has limited their ability to strengthen the squad as much as they would have liked, with the club forced to wait for player departures before bringing in new signings.
Despite these challenges, Villa have managed to bring in a few new faces, including goalkeeper Marco Bizot and forward Evann Guessand. The club remains hopeful of securing further reinforcements, but the financial realities have forced them to be cautious in their approach.
