Arsenal boss Unai Emery favours titles over top-four finish

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 23 September 2018

Arsenal boss Unai Emery admits that he would prefer to qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League, rather than finishing fourth in the Premier League.

Unai Emery has suggested that winning silverware of some sort takes priority over a top-four finish in the Premier League during his first season at Arsenal.

The Gunners kicked off their Europa League campaign with a 4-2 win over Vorskla Poltava and host Brentford in round three of the EFL Cup next week.

Previous manager Arsene Wenger would often prioritise finishing in a Champions League spot, which he failed to achieve in his final two seasons in charge, but Emery favours a different approach as each competition is of equal importance at this stage.

Asked if he would prefer to quality for the Champions League by finishing fourth in the Premier League or by winning the Europa League, the Spaniard told reporters: "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. The Premier League is very important because I think it is the first competition of importance for us, because that gives us the big credibility on this season.

"Thirty-eight matches give us and gives 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."

Emery won three Europa League titles during his time at Sevilla and also lifted seven domestic trophies in two years at Paris Saint-Germain.