Arsene Wenger slams Arsenal for ‘unfair’ treatment of Unai Emery and brands Villarreal manager a ‘great coach’
ARSENE WENGER believes that Unai Emery was unfairly treated by Arsenal.
The Frenchman, 72, was replaced at the Emirates by Emery in 2018.
Emery, 50, lasted just 18 months at Arsenal before being sacked and replaced by Mikel Arteta.
But having gone on to achieve great success at Villarreal, he appears to have silenced many of his critics.
Appearing on beIN SPORTS’ coverage of Emery’s side’s Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, Wenger was full of sympathy for his North London successor.
Asked by host Richards Keys if Emery was “unfairly treated” by Arsenal, Wenger said: “Certainly, yes.
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“Because they didn’t give him a lot of time.”
Wenger then ranted about the structure of the Europa League – a trophy that Emery has won four times, most recently last season with Villarreal.
He added: “But as well, there’s a lot to talk about because, for example, is it right that the teams who are not successful in the group stage can play the Europa League?
“Because out of ten years, the teams who are not successful in the Champions League were winning the Uefa Cup.
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“So that transformed a non-success into a success.”
Quizzed by Andy Gray if that was rewarding failure, he continued: “It was more to give an importance to the trophy than to reward the sporting quality.
“But I think Unai Emery’s a great coach – that he has shown it in Spain again and he is constantly there at the top level.”