Emery determined to turn home advantage into first Villa Park win

Unai Emery is determined to turn around Aston Villa's home form and pick up their first victory at Villa Park this season against Fenerbahce in the Champions League.

Across all competitions this season, Villa have won three games – one in the Premier League, one in the EFL Cup and one in the Champions League – but they have all come away from home.

At Villa Park, they have picked up just one point, drawing 2-2 with Brentford last time out following back-to-back losses.

But Villa have won each of their last 10 European home matches – only twice this century has an English side had a longer home winning run in major European competition: 12-game streaks by Manchester City (2022-2024) and Manchester United (2006-2008).

There is currently building work taking place in the North Stand at Villa Park, meaning fewer supporters are in the ground, but Emery is confident the rest of the crowd will make up for those missing.

"Our handicap is fewer supporters for the situation, but the club decided it; it is something to improve us for the future," Emery said.

"We must try to be together, and without 7,000 supporters we must push everyone. We must play better football, compete better than we did, be more focused than we did.

"We are realistic about how we are working and improving things. But it is not enough yet, so we are having lots of conversations with the team, in meetings and with videos, practising too, to show improvements in matches.

"At Villa Park, we have not won yet, so it is very important how we can improve things to be closer to winning. It is a very good opportunity to do one step forward in those improvements and the players as well, to get confidence and feel comfortable.

"Villa Park is for us something very, very special. It should be like the four years that we are here – how we achieved this as a special place, our fortress. It is a new challenge to show it."

Villa have won all three of their meetings with Fenerbahce to date, with the most recent of those coming earlier this year: a 1-0 away win in the Europa League in January.

Only against Bologna (4/4) do the Villans have a better 100% record than they do against Fenerbahce.

But injuries have also hindered Villa's start to 2026-27, with Matteo Ruggeri added to that list after he came off at half-time against Brentford.

Ian Maatsen also remains out, leaving a gap at left-back, though summer signing Leon Goretzka could make his debut, having recovered from a knee injury to be in the squad.

"There are negative ways for some players, because they are injured like Ruggeri," Emery added.

"We must try to find solutions as Maatsen is not available. I think he should be in a few days, one week or two weeks joining us.

"Ruggeri, we don't know exactly how long it's going to be, but it will be some weeks that he's going to be out, more than one month.

"Leon Goretzka is in the squad; George Hemmings is still being with a small pain – not [available], but maybe on Saturday he can come back."