Chess, lectures & ignoring noise: Emery masters Europe again

Breaking news from the world of sport: Chess, lectures & ignoring noise: Emery masters Europe againImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Unai Emery has won five European trophies as a managerByGuillem Balague, Sport Columnist and Charlotte Coates, Sport journalistPublished9 minutes agoPicture Unai Emery loading up a chess app on his phone to play against strangers - under his own name. That is just one of the methods the meticulous Aston Villa boss uses to hone the mental discipline required at football's highest level. And Emery is certainly the Europa League's grand master, having clinched the trophy yet again with Villa's 3-0 win over Freiburg on Wednesday - for the club's first piece of silverware in 30 years, and his fifth win in the competition.

Emery, 54, previously guided Sevilla to Europa League glory three years in a row - in 2014, 2015 and 2016 - before sealing his fourth success with Villarreal in 2021. After five years, the Spaniard has been reunited with the trophy - and moved level with Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho and Giovanni Trapattoni on the list of managers with most major European prizes (five). Here, Sport takes a closer look at the man at who has guided Villa to their first European trophy since 1982.

Match Details

2am lectures and Racing Santander matchesEmery managed to find time during the day to open his chess app and play three-minute online games against all-comers. The idea of a Premier League manager doing so under his own name might sound strange, but it is true. He believes you have to be ready for anything - and cannot afford to switch off.

But it's not just chess that catches Emery's attention. He's also partial to watching a lecture. His particular interests are people who explain the world in new ways.

Scientists, thinkers, whoever can expand his frame of reference. Another 2am activity is watching any level of football on his iPad. As one example, take Racing Santander - who have just been promoted to Spain's top flight.

Reactions and Expectations

Not a Champions League giant or a rival, but that doesn't stop Emery from studying them. It's his way of relaxing. Champions League football escaped Villa on the final day of last season, but Emery's first act of this campaign was to tell his players they could get there this term - even if other teams had bigger budgets.

His target was a long run in the Europa League and to secure a Champions league place. Job done on both counts. A five-match winless run at the start of the season wasn't in the script, but Emery managed to convince Villa the season was going to be good.

'Nobody works harder than Emery'Emery says nobody works harder than him. He isn't boasting, he is just explaining his methodology. He focuses on body shape in training, tactics, physical details, forcing players to dedicate 70% of their time to football.

The story has climbed to the top of the sports agenda, with fans and analysts following closely.