Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has said he fears his side’s 1-0 defeat to AS Monaco on Tuesday may have cost them their chance to finish in the top eight of the Champions League.
Villa, who are in Europe’s top club competition for the first time since 1983, are close to finishing in the top eight — which would guarantee qualication into the knockout stages — but they now need results to fall their way after securing 13 points with one game remaining.
Emery’s side were spent most of Tuesday’s game playing from behind after Wilfried Singo’s strike in the eighth minute. It was only their second defeat in the league phase this season.
“It was my mistake when we played with two strikers because we lost positioning,” Emery said. “We lost control of the game. We were very weak in the middle.
“We were horrible in set-pieces, we were horrible. We had seven corners and not one close to scoring.
“It was important to get three points because I think we lost the opportunity to get in the top eight. Today was the key.”
Villa return to action when they take West Ham United at Villa Park on Sunday before hosting Celtic in their final Champions League league phase clash on Jan. 29.
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