Unai Emery is Happy to Return to Jakarta Alongside Aston Villa After 12 Years

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has expressed his excitement at returning to Jakarta, more than a decade after his first visit to the city while in charge of Sevilla. This visit forms a special part of Aston Villa's pre-season tour of Asia ahead of the 2026/2027 campaign.

Emery previously travelled to Indonesia back in 2014, when he was still head coach of Sevilla. On that occasion, the Spanish side faced Pelita Bandung Raya in an LFP World Challenge match held at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung Regency, and ran out 4-0 winners.

Now, the Spanish manager has returned to Indonesia with Aston Villa. The Villans are scheduled to take on Indonesia All Stars in a pre-season fixture at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Jakarta, on Saturday 1 August at 19.30 WIB.

"It is wonderful to be in Jakarta. This is my second time here. I was last here with Sevilla back in 2014 or 2015. We played a number of friendly matches during that trip. Coming back here now with Aston Villa is an entirely new experience," Emery stated at a press conference held in Jakarta on Friday.

Emery Surprised By The Enthusiasm Of Indonesian Fans

Indonesia is the second Southeast Asian nation visited by Aston Villa on this pre-season tour, following their stop in Thailand. After facing the Indonesia All Stars, Aston Villa are set to take on BG Pathum United on Tuesday 4 August.

Emery admitted he was deeply impressed by the huge level of public excitement surrounding Aston Villa's arrival in Indonesia. The large number of media personnel in attendance and the attention from supporters was, according to him, an incredibly memorable experience.

"We really did not expect this level of warm reception. Of course this comes from how deeply football and the Premier League are loved here. For us, being here in Indonesia also lets us see first hand just how far reaching the Premier League and Aston Villa are, and how many supporters we have even all the way out here," Emery said.

The 54-year-old manager added that he hopes Aston Villa's visit will provide a memorable experience for football fans across Indonesia.

"We hope we can give something special to these supporters over these three days, and that on Saturday we can show everyone exactly why we have travelled here," he added.

Tyrone Mings Feels Right At Home

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings, who appeared alongside Emery at the press conference, also shared positive impressions of the team's time in Indonesia so far.

The 33-year-old player stated that he felt the warm welcome immediately after the squad arrived in Jakarta on Thursday evening.

"We feel right at home here. That is not an easy feeling to get when you have travelled this far, and are so far from the culture you are familiar with," Mings commented.

Alongside the warm welcome from locals, Mings also praised the quality of facilities the team have been provided with during their stay, from their hotel accommodations to the condition of the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium.

"The food is excellent, the hotel is of course very nice. The training facilities at the stadium today were great too. We are really looking forward to tomorrow's match. The pitch is fantastic. All in all, this has been a really great experience so far," he added.

Proud Of Aston Villa's Consistency

Mings also spoke on Aston Villa's development since Emery took charge of the club in November 2022. According to the defender, the consistent performances the side have delivered over recent seasons are a key foundation that has allowed the club to grow its profile internationally, including in Indonesia.

Under Emery's leadership, Aston Villa's lowest finish in the Premier League to date has been 7th place, achieved in his first full season in charge. Prior to Emery's arrival, Villa had finished outside the top half of the table for three consecutive campaigns.

"The consistency we have shown over the last four to five years is something we can be very proud of. It is this consistency that has allowed us to come to places like Jakarta, and share the recent success we have achieved as a club," he concluded.