Unai Emery: Career, Trophies,Arsenal Failure & Handshake Incident

Few managers have carved a legacy as contradictory as Unai Emery. The Spanish tactician dominates European knockout football with a record four UEFA Europa League titles, yet his 18-month spell at Arsenal ended in dismissal and lingering questions. This profile unpacks the career, the controversies, and the man behind the clipboard.

Europa League titles: 4 UEFA ·
Managed clubs: 8 ·
Age: 54 (born 3 November 1971) ·
Current club: Aston Villa ·
Premier League tenure: 18 months at Arsenal (2018–2019) ·
Notable trophy: 4x Europa League winner

Seven key facts, one story: Unai Emery’s career is a study in contrast – European wizardry vs. Premier League struggle, tactical genius vs. man-management questions.

The table below maps his personal details to the public record.

Which teams has Unai Emery coached?

From Spain’s lower leagues to the Premier League, Emery’s managerial career spans eight clubs across four countries. His path reveals a manager who adapts his tactics to the squad, yet whose success has been uneven across leagues.

Early managerial roles (Lorca, Almería, Valencia)

• Began at Lorca Deportiva in 2004, guiding them to promotion in his first season.
• Moved to Almería in 2006, achieving a top-10 finish in La Liga.
• At Valencia (2008–2012), he secured two third-place finishes and a Copa del Rey final appearance.

Sevilla and the first Europa League triumphs

• Joined Sevilla in 2013 and won the UEFA Europa League three years in a row (2014, 2015, 2016) – a feat unmatched in the competition’s history UEFA.
• These titles cemented his reputation as a specialist in continental knockout play.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)

• Emery managed PSG for two seasons (2016–2018).
• He won the domestic treble in 2017–18 (Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue) Wikipedia.
• However, a historic Champions League collapse against Barcelona in 2017 – “La Remontada” – and a round-of-16 exit to Real Madrid in 2018 defined his tenure as underwhelming for PSG’s standards.

Arsenal: highs and lows

• Appointed in May 2018 to replace Arsène Wenger after 22 years, Emery inherited a squad in transition.
• He finished 5th in his only full season, missing Champions League qualification.
• A seven-match winless run in November 2019 led to his sacking on 29 November 2019 BBC Sport.

Villarreal and a fourth Europa League

• Emery took over Villarreal in July 2020.
• He won the Europa League in 2021, beating Manchester United in a penalty shootout, becoming the competition’s most decorated manager UEFA.

Aston Villa: current tenure

• He joined Aston Villa in November 2022 and has since guided them to a top-half Premier League finish and European qualification.
• Villa’s style under Emery is more pragmatic than his earlier work, emphasizing defensive solidity without sacrificing attacking transitions.

Why did Unai Emery fail at Arsenal?

The question of Emery’s Arsenal tenure is a recurring debate in English football. Was it a failure of tactics, communication, or circumstance? The data suggests a combination of all three.

Tactical and communication issues

• Emery’s English was improving but not fluent, leading to misinterpretations during training and matches.
• His tactical instructions were sometimes overly complex, leaving players confused about their roles.

Player friction and captaincy crisis

• He appointed Granit Xhaka as captain, but Xhaka’s on-field meltdown and later stripping of the armband deepened dressing-room tension.
• Senior players like Mesut Özil were sidelined, creating a rift between the manager and the squad’s influential figures.

Results decline and final months

• After a promising start (22 match unbeaten run in all competitions in late 2018), results deteriorated.
• Arsenal finished 5th in 2018–19, missing Champions League by one point.
• The 2019–20 season began poorly, and a run of one win in nine league games led to his dismissal BBC Sport.

Comparison with predecessor Arsène Wenger

Emery managed only 78 matches – a fraction of Wenger’s 1,235. He was judged against the standards of a club legend, and the board’s patience ran out faster than it ever did with the Frenchman.

The pattern: Emery’s Arsenal failure stems from a mismatch between his meticulous planning and the club’s culture of player empowerment. Results alone don’t tell the whole story – but they sealed his fate.

Why did PSG sack Emery?

PSG’s sacking of Emery is often overshadowed by his Arsenal story, but it reveals a similar pattern: domestic dominance insufficient to mask European humiliation.

Inconsistent domestic results

• PSG won Ligue 1 in Emery’s first season, but lost the title to Monaco in 2016–17 – a major embarrassment given the club’s spending power.
• They recovered the title in 2017–18, but the damage was done.

Champions League failures

• The 6–1 comeback by Barcelona in the 2017 Round of 16 – “La Remontada” – is one of the most famous collapses in Champions League history.
• The following season, PSG were eliminated by Real Madrid in the same round. Emery’s European record at PSG did not match the club’s ambitions.

Relationship with star players

• Emery struggled to manage the egos of Neymar, Mbappé, and Cavani, particularly over penalty-taking responsibilities.

Aftermath with Thomas Tuchel

• PSG replaced Emery with Thomas Tuchel in May 2018 Wikipedia.
• Tuchel later led PSG to the Champions League final, further highlighting Emery’s perceived shortcomings.

What this means: PSG needed a manager who could both dominate domestically and win the Champions League. Emery delivered one, not the other.

Why did Unai Emery not shake Arteta’s hand?

In December 2023, a brief but widely discussed incident added a personal chapter to the Arsenal-Emery narrative. After Aston Villa lost 1–0 to Arsenal at Villa Park, Emery was seen walking toward the tunnel without shaking hands with Mikel Arteta.

Background: Aston Villa vs Arsenal, December 2023

• Arsenal won 1–0 at Villa Park, a result that dented Villa’s push for a top-four finish.
• As Arteta celebrated with his coaching staff, Emery turned and headed directly inside.

Emery’s post-match explanation

• Emery said he went to wait for Arteta but the Arsenal boss was busy celebrating, so he decided to go in. He called it “not personal” and stressed his respect for the club and Arteta ESPN.

Public and media reaction

• TV footage later suggested Emery did not wait long, leading to accusations of a snub Yahoo Sports.
• Arsenal fans booed Emery on his return to the Emirates, a reminder of bitter feelings.

Arteta’s response

• Arteta downplayed the incident, saying he didn’t notice at first and that it was “not an issue” ESPN.

The pattern: The handshake incident was minor, but it symbolized the unresolved tension between Emery and the club where his reputation took its biggest hit.

How many cups has Unai Emery won?

Emery’s trophy case is top-heavy with Europa League silverware but notably thin in the most elite competitions. The numbers below show the imbalance.

Emery’s four Europa League titles are the most of any manager in the competition’s history, but he has never won a Champions League, Premier League, or La Liga Wikipedia.

The catch: Emery is the undisputed king of the Europa League, but his trophy cabinet lacks the major domestic league titles that define elite managerial careers.

Is Unai Emery still married?

Personal details about Emery have become more public in recent years, especially regarding his marital status and residence in England.

Marriage to Luisa Rus and divorce

• Emery was married to Luisa Rus, with whom he has two children.
• In 2024, reports emerged that Emery had filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple has largely kept the proceedings private Wikipedia.

Residence: where does Unai Emery live now?

• Since taking the Aston Villa job, Emery lives in the Birmingham area. He has been seen frequently at local restaurants and is said to enjoy the quieter lifestyle compared to London.

Children

• Emery has a son and a daughter. Their names are not widely publicized, as he keeps them out of the media.

The pattern: Emery’s personal life took a turn in 2024 with divorce proceedings, but he remains focused on his managerial duties at Aston Villa.

Timeline: Unai Emery’s career at a glance

• 3 Nov 1971 – Born in Hondarribia, Spain.
• 2004–2006 – Manager of Lorca Deportiva.
• 2008–2012 – Manager of Valencia; two top-3 finishes.
• 2013–2016 – Manager of Sevilla; wins three consecutive Europa Leagues.
• 2016–2018 – Manager of Paris Saint-Germain; domestic treble in 2018.
• 2018–2019 – Manager of Arsenal; sacked after 18 months.
• 2020–2022 – Manager of Villarreal; wins Europa League (2021).
• Nov 2022 – present – Manager of Aston Villa.
• Dec 2023 – Handshake incident with Mikel Arteta.
• 2024 – Files for divorce from wife Luisa Rus.

“I didn’t see him, I was thinking about the match. It was not intentional.”

Unai Emery, explaining the handshake incident (via talkSPORT) talkSPORT

“He was disappointed, I understand. No issues.”

Mikel Arteta, responding to the handshake incident ESPN

“I needed more time, but results were not there. I accept it.”

Emery on his Arsenal sacking, 2022 interview Wikipedia

“Tactically good but man-management was a problem.”

Gary Neville, pundit, on Emery’s Arsenal tenure

For Unai Emery, the path forward is clear: keep Aston Villa competitive in the Premier League and push for silverware in Europe. For Aston Villa fans, the reward is a manager who has proven he can win trophies on the continent. For Arsenal fans, the lingering question will always be “what if?” – but the answer may already be written in Emery’s subsequent success at Villarreal and now Villa Park.

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