For the first time since the competition’s rebranding from the European Cup, and for the first time since the 1982–83 season, Aston Villa has secured Champions League football.
After Villa finished the season in the Premier League’s top four thanks to a victory over Tottenham on Tuesday, the club’s more than 40-year quest to return to Europe’s premier club competition came to an end.
With one game remaining, Villa has 68 points after earning a draw on Monday night against Liverpool in a late comeback. Following their defeat to City, Tottenham is now five points outside of the top four in fifth place with 63 points.
Last season, Unai Emery’s team earned a trip to Europe and participated in the Europa Conference League, the third division, where they were defeated by Olympiacos in the semifinals. Aston Villa last competed in the European Cup in 1982–83, losing to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals. They had won the cup in 1981–82.
This is Villa’s first year participating in the UEFA tournament; the competition was renamed from the European Cup to the Champions League in 1992.
