The tandem between Unai Emery and Monchi is arguably one of the most captivating in the Premier League. As coach and sporting director of Aston Villa, he led the team to the Champions League, making them a very interesting team to follow in recent seasons in the English championship.
But how did Monchi make the jump to the Premier League? Undoubtedly, the native of Hondarribia was an essential asset for the former leader of Sevilla FC and Roma. When Emery learned of Monchi's possible departure from the Andalusian club, he did not hesitate for a second: “When I read that he was considering leaving Sevilla… I remember the day I called him , it was a Monday from the training center to his house. I contacted him to reconnect and ask him if it was true. We were then looking for a sporting director and I told him he would be a valuable asset to the club. Yes, I asked him to give me his answer as soon as possible, and we would move forward“, he said during an interview on DAZN.
What was Monchi's reaction? Emery tells it with humor: “'I'm not going to say yes right away, I have to talk about it with my wife', but practically, with this call, we finalized the thing, it was very simple”, confides Emery about Monchi, who retorts: “It was decisive. If Unai hadn't been here, I wouldn't be here. They explained the project to me and it motivated me to come. My initial idea was to take a break, but the idea of discovering the Premier League appealed to me.“, remembers the Sevillian.
The relationship between Emery and Monchi dates back to the Sevilla FC days: “Those moments as coach and sporting director, with our one-on-one lunches and dinners. We had many experiences and professional moments together, there was a very solid foundation“, said Unai.
For Monchi, the setting at Aston Villa is motivating: “The personal relationship matters a lot, we live here, I arrive at 7:30 a.m., Unai arrives before me and leaves after. This dynamic has been built over more than three years in Sevilla and this project excites us enormously. Being fulfilled in our profession here is something very beautiful.”
A notable anecdote between them took place in Seville, during the Europa League derby: “We were playing the derby against Betis in the round of 16 of the Europa League and a week before, Monchi told me that he was considering renewing his contract in front of the board. We were able to discuss it over dinner, which took place just after our 0-2 defeat against Betis. At one point we started talking about this renewal and he told me that if we lost to Betis we would all have to leave,” Monchi says with a laugh.
And how is their organization structured? “Here, Unai is the boss, everything revolves around him. This was decided by the owners,” says Monchi about Emery.. “Here the role of the manager is different, the owner presented it to me like that, they gave me a blank sheet to start building,” Emery comments about the club.
The close relationship between Unai Emery and Monchi shows how harmony between a coach and his sporting director can influence the success of a club. Their experience at Sevilla FC, combined with their shared vision for Aston Villa, illustrates the importance of trust and communication within a management team. In the future, how can other clubs learn from this collaboration to establish a winning culture?
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