Unai Emery spoke with immense pride after Aston Villa were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is delighted with how his team competed in the Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain and believes he now has a squad capable of mounting a challenge in the competition again next season.

Villa’s Champions League road came to an end on Tuesday night despite Emery’s men recording a tremendous 3-2 comeback victory over PSG at Villa Park. The Parisiens’ 3-1 win at the Parc des Princes last week proved pivotal as Luis Enrique’s side progressed to the final four with a narrow 4-5 aggregate triumph.

Goals from PSG defenders Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes in the first half an hour looked to have put the tie beyond doubt with a 1-5 aggregate score but Villa fought back valiantly, scoring three times. Youri Tielemans netted first as he deflected a shot in off Willian Pacho before John McGinn and Ezri Konsa scored a three-minute double salvo at the start of the second half.

Villa’s efforts - albeit commendable - weren’t enough as PSG recovered from the onslaught and held onto their aggregate advantage. It was a painful defeat for the men in claret and blue but there is so much to be proud of, not least the fact Villa gave one of the favourites for the entire competition a big scare.

Reflecting on the tie as a whole, Emery said: “We played two matches. The first leg we did the plan we prepared and competed fantastic. In that moment, the second and third goal didn’t change a lot. We were so, so proud of the work there, but still we had to do one step forward to get a good result.

“Today we had the opportunity to come back. We were speaking about that to get two goals, it is not a lot. A small gap. Sometimes it is big. Today it was sometimes a big gap, but we competed fantastic. As well, it was good because the players followed the game plan being consistent.

“At 3-2, when they were suffering against us and the press, it is the moment when we were missing the last minute in Paris. As well, today, after the 3-2, the last 20 minutes I think we were missing a little bit to push them and get the result back.”

Supporters lauded by inspired Emery

It may not have looked like it upon the final whistle as Emery booted a drink’s can and headed straight down the tunnel, but the head coach couldn’t be more grateful for the supporters. Villa Park, just as it has been all season long, was absolutely rocking for what turned out to be the final European night of the campaign.

“We can feel happy, we can feel proud,” Emery added. “We can also feel comfortable about the work we achieved. They showed the next level, but we can still be proud of the way we did in the Champions League.

“I am going to be demanding myself, with the players and with the club as well, how we can get better from today. Of course, every supporter as well was enjoying. We were feeling so, so comfortable and confident.

“I want to say thank you to the supporters and to keep going. To play in Europe again next year is the next objective.”

Emery outlines challenge to players after PSG defeat

Progressing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League once is one thing, but qualifying for the competition again and doing even better next year is a mightily difficult task. Emery is confident his team can achieve their goal, though, with a top-five finish in the Premier League enough to secure qualification for Europe’s elite competition.

“How we competed, the players showed the capacity to compete at this level,” Emery said. “Every player here is here because they deserve to be here and to play facing matches like today, trying to get our ambitions in every competition we are playing and trying to be consistent. This is the challenge.

“I want the players with the same challenge they have, I want the club with the same challenge they have. This is to try to be consistent and try to get this level with the players we have – or adding more quality players in case we need it.

“But of course, with the players we have today and for the rest of the season, I am so confident to get our objective, working hard until the last match we will face.”