Unai Emery prefers Europa League title over top-four finish | OneFootball

Arsenal have missed out on the Champions League the past two seasons after finishing outside of the top four positions in the Premier League table.

Taking over for long-time manager Arsène Wenger in the summer, Unai Emery has his sights set on returning to the continent’s top club competition. The former Paris Saint-Germain manager lifted three Europa League titles in a row during his time with Sevilla in Spain.

The 43-year-old told press ahead of Arsenal’s match against Everton that he would prefer to win a title in the process of securing qualification for Champions League.

When asked by which path he would like to qualify, Emery responded simply, “One choice? For me, the Europa League is very important.”

“It is one title and I think for us, every title is the best way, the best performance, the best future.”

Emery emphasized the importance of collecting some silverware but explained that the league allows the best teams to prove themselves over full schedule. “Thirty-eight matches give us and give them (opponents) the clarity to show who is the best for the top four.”

“It is clear that we have a very, very competitive team to do that – I am confident in my team.”

Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are both doubts after leaving Thursday’s Europa League win over Vorskla Poltava. Several players who were rested for that match will hope to return to the squad to face Everton, including Mesut Özil, Aaron Ramsey, Alexandre Lacazette, and Petr Čech.