Among the managers who have gotten prominence recently for their tactics and performance, Unai Emery is a name that is well-known in La Liga and the English Premier League. Emery is a Spanish football manager who is known for his technical prowess.
Over the course of years, the Spaniard has carved out a remarkable coaching career across the big League’s, managing the top tier clubs. Particularly famous with his meticulous homework before the game and adaptability in approach, Unai Emery is a popular name in European football, especially in the UEFA Europa League.
Discipline, pressing, and Flexibility with tactics: these are the core of Unai Emery’s approach to a game. The manager is famous for asking and getting the best out of his players irrespective of which team he is managing. There’s no wonder why he is one of the top managers out there now. There is no short discussion when it is about ‘Unai Emery teams coached.
Managerial Career of Unai Emery
Over the course of years, the Spaniard had managed many big names across the famous Leagues. And it has added to his expertise. The exposure to each League has allowed him to have clarity on how to approach every game in European Competitions, which is one of the biggest reasons for his success.
| Club Name | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win Percentage |
| Lorca Deportiva | 72 | 38 | 16 | 18 | 52.8% |
| UD Almeria | 84 | 41 | 22 | 21 | 48.8% |
| Valencia CF | 220 | 107 | 55 | 58 | 48.6% |
| Spartak Moscow | 26 | 12 | 04 | 10 | 46.2% |
| Sevilla FC | 205 | 106 | 42 | 57 | 51.7% |
| PSG | 114 | 87 | 15 | 12 | 76.3% |
| Arsenal | 78 | 43 | 15 | 20 | 55.1% |
| Villareal | 129 | 56 | 35 | 38 | 43.4% |
| Aston Villa | 50+ | 28+ | 10+ | 12+ | 56% |
Also Read: How many trophies has Carlo Ancelotti won at Real Madrid?
Lorca Deportiva
From 2004 to 2006, Unai was the manager of Loca Deportiva. The Spaniard managed 72 Matches and won 38 of them. Due to 16 Draws and 18 Losses along the way, the Win percentage was kept on 52.8% by the Spanish manager.
Prior to his employment as a coach, the club was in the third tier. Unai joined the club after his career as a footballer seen an unforeseen halt. He helped the club get promoted to tier two and set the right tone for their future endeavors.
UD Almeria
Following the departure in 2006 from Lorca Deportiva, Unai joined UD Almeria. And his success continued with him guiding the club to its first ever promotion to LA Liga in 2007. Irrespective of the fortune of being a newly promoted team, Almeria secured their position in 8th of the table in Unai Emery’s management, showcasing the ability of the Spaniard to make the difference.
Valencia CF
After the Spaniard’s departure from the Almeria where he have altered the situation of the locker room, Emery started managing Valencia in 2008. These 4 years the club along with the Spaniard faced a lot of challenges.
His employment to the club saw the stars like David Villa and David Silva leave. Despite all the troubles and challenges, Unai secured third position in the League consistently to have Valencia qualified for European Competitions.
Unfortunately, Emery’s Tenure didn’t win Valencia any trophies. But his contributions and philosophy have carried the club through tough times and set the foundation for greatness. In a total of 220 Matches, the Spanish Club maintained over 48% Win rates throughout his tenure.
Spartak Moscow
While the Spaniard wanted to have the exposure of managing in Russian League, inconsistent performance in Spartak Moscow after his arrival in 2012 seen him depart from the club in the same year and return back to Spain. In 26 Matches, he maintained a Win percentage of 46.2%.
Sevilla FC
In 2013, Unai Emery made the big move and joined Sevilla, another giant in LA Liga. His time in the club was transformative. Under his guidance, the club won three back to back UEFA Europa Titles in 2014, 2015, 2016. It pretty much showed the glimpse of how influential the Spaniard can be. His tactical acumen in high-pressure Matches caught the eyes of many big clubs. In 205 Matches, Unai had 51.7% Win percentage throughout his tenure which lasted until 2016. Among many names in the ‘Unai Emery teams coached,’ his tenure at Sevilla is the most successful so far.
Paris Saint Germain
After managing Sevilla, Unai Emery made a switch and headed over to manage one of the promising clubs in Ligue 1. Despite being the manager of PSG for only 2 years, Unai won 7 major trophies for the club that includes one Ligue 1 title, a couple of Coupe de France, a couple of Coupe de la League, and Trophee des Champions. Among 13 major trophies won by the Spaniard so far, 7 of them were with PSG.
However, unable to go over the round of 16 in Champions League drew in huge criticism.
Arsenal
After the departure from the French League, Unai Emery joined English Premier League with Arsenal. He was the replacement of the legendary Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger. Naturally, there were high expectations.
In his very first season, the gunners reached UEFA Europa League final where they lost to Chelsea. Irrespective of a great start, inconsistent performances over time led his dismissal in November of 2019. In Arsenal, he had over 55% win rate.
Villarreal CF
La Liga saw another homecoming of Unai Emery. This time, it was with Villarreal CF. He was appointed as their manager in 2020. Right after the year of his arrival, the Spaniard led the club to their UEFA Europa League victory in 2021, beating the mighty Manchester United in the final. This victory sealed the club’s position for Champions League. In that UCL campaign, Unai’s team reached the semi-finals.
Aston Villa
After his departure from Villarreal, Unai, one of the best Spanish managers, joined Aston Villa in late 2022. His aim was to restore the club’s competitive stature in the Premier League. His preference on structured gameplay and robust defense gave the team something to believe in. So far, he has managed to maintain a 56% win rate.
Trophies of Unai Emery over his managerial career
Here is a simplified table that gives a glance to the honors won by the Spaniard over his managerial career:
| Team | Years Managed | Major Trophies |
| Lorca Deportiva | 2004-2006 | – |
| UD Almeria | 2006-2008 | – |
| Valencia CF | 2008-2012 | – |
| Spartak Moscow | 2012 | – |
| Sevilla FC | 2013-2016 | UEFA Europa League (3) |
| PSG | 2016-2018 | League 1 title, a couple of Coupe de France, two Coupe de la League honors, and a Trophée des Champions |
| Arsenal | 2018-2019 | – |
| Villareal | 2020-2022 | UEFA Europa League (1) |
| Aston Villa | 2022-Present | – |
Unai Emery Managing Style and Tactics
Both adaptability and attention-to-detail are the main mantras behind Emery’s approach to the games. Often times, he prefers going with high-pressing systems where his team is very well organized and pressing the opponents for turnover.
Irrespective of which League he is managing, his team thrives in counter attacks and making quick transition of defense to attack. Moreover, it is reported that the Spaniard holds team meetings prior to the match where he points out the weaknesses of the opponents, showcasing his testament of tactical approaches.
Also Read: How Many Trophies Has Pep Guardiola Won With Man City?
Unai Emery Salary for different clubs
Here is a breakdown of Unai Emery’s salary so far:
| Club Name | Years Managed | Annual Salary | Contract Value |
| Lorca Deportiva | 2004-2006 | €150,000 | €300,000 |
| UD Almeria | 2006-2008 | €300,000 | €600,000 |
| Valencia CF | 2008-2012 | €1,200,000 | €4,800,000 |
| Spartak Moscow | 2012 | €2,500,000 | €1,250,000 |
| Sevilla FC | 2013-2016 | €2,500,000 | €7,500,000 |
| PSG | 2016-2018 | €6,000,000 | €12,000,000 |
| Arsenal | 2018-2019 | €7,000,000 | €10,500,000 |
| Villareal | 2020-2022 | €3,500,000 | €10,500,000 |
| Aston Villa | 2022-Present | €7,000,000 | Ongoing |
FAQ’s
How many trophies has Unai Emery won in total?
So far, the Spaniard has won 13 major trophies in total including European and domestic honors.
What trophies did Emery win with PSG?
In his tenure at PSG, Unai won 7 major trophies for the club that has one League 1 title, a couple of Coupe de France, two Coupe de la League honors, and a Trophée des Champions.
When did Unai Emery win his first UEFA Europa title?
Emery won his first UEFA Europa title with Sevilla FC in 2013-14.
What was Unai Emery’s record in the UEFA Europa League finals?
He has an impressive 5-1 record in the finals of UEFA Europa League.
How many clubs has Unai Emery coached?
The Spaniard has managed 9 clubs so far.
Did Emery win the FA Cup?
No, Unai Emery has not won the FA Cup yet.