It would be easy to look at Aston Villa's late-season push toward the end of the past season and describe it as a mistake. Particularly for those who wanted to watch Unai Emery's men make Europa League or Conference League anyway, from their perspective, the desire to qualify for Champions League was a mistake.
Potentially winning what is a competition with lesser quality of sides overall will be an accomplishment worthy of celebration. This is especially true for a club that is looking to overlook what has been a lengthy dry spell in terms of silverware.
While that can be true, along with the acknowledgement of UEL being a better path for Villa to win a trophy, the mindset from the end of the 2024-2025 season, however, was the right one nonetheless.
Villa is a club that has set high goals, and they are purposely setting high expectations for themselves. Avoiding the more difficult option on purpose would be shortsighted.
It will be important for Villa to always maintain Emery's philosophy of taking each match, regardless of which competition, with the same approach and ferocity. Villa cannot be a side that acts out of fear and that attempts to out-scheme its way to success. Some managers do not hold this mentality, and their efforts (or lack thereof) will sometimes be rewarded.
For Villa, it remains hugely important to maintain pressure across the board and to treat all fixtures with the needed level of respect and intensity in order to ensure that those inside the dressing room are ready for each match as it comes.
Important point of consideration for Aston Villa
Winning and forming habits that lead to victories are difficult to cultivate. Yes, there will still be games in which Villa show up flat-footed and struggle to gain a foothold. That is inevitable at this level of play.
Maintaining the inner approach and desire, however, will ultimately allow for Villa to achieve great heights, even beyond what some of the most optimistic fans are rooting for at the moment.