Villa lose 3-0 at Barcelona as Emery highlights missed chances
John McGinn said Villa could compete with leading clubs despite the defeat, which left them on nine Champions League points.
Aston Villa missed out on a fourth consecutive Champions League victory as Barcelona beat them 3-0 at Camp Nou. Unai Emery pointed to his team's failure to convert first-half opportunities, while John McGinn said the encounter offered lessons for the future.
Villa stayed third in the league-phase standings on nine points, although nine other matchday four fixtures remained outstanding. The defeat came after Villa had matched the Spanish champions during the opening half in heavy rain.
Emery said Villa continued to create opportunities after making mistakes, but lacked the finishing needed to change the contest. He expressed disappointment with the score while finding positives in the performance of a squad combining youth and experience. He said the match provided valuable experience of the standard Villa wanted to reach.
Speaking to TNT Sports, McGinn credited Barcelona's decision-making and goals. He said their ability to keep players forward made losing possession dangerous. Despite acknowledging Villa had been outplayed, he maintained they could compete at that level, citing their performances against Bayern Munich and PSG.
