BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) -Narrowly defeated by Paris St Germain at the Champions League quarter-final stage, Aston Villa are now focussed on getting straight back next year into Europe's top club competition.
"I am very proud of everything we did in the Champions League," Villa boss Unai Emery said as the dust settled from a pulsating clash with PSG whom they beat 3-2 in Tuesday's second leg but lost 3-1 to in the first game for an overall 5-4 defeat.
Villa are seventh in the Premier League but only a point off fifth which would secure them a Champions League berth again.
"It is now most important to get Europe again. The most important competition is the Champions League. The challenge we have for the last six matches (of the Premier League) is to try and get Europe and the Champions League," Emery said.
His pride at Villa's strong showing, after a four-decade absence from Europe's elite, was tinged with frustration at just failing to pull off a remarkable comeback as they came so close to scoring a fourth goal at Villa Park that would have levelled the tie on aggregate.
"We were close," he said, adding that he had to push his team on to achieve ever more. "Still a little bit more to do better, to try to get it."
Aston Villa captain John McGinn, who scored on Tuesday, echoed the sentiment.
"Obvious disappointment but I am proud of my teammates, proud of the club. We have come a long way. We were so, so close tonight. We just fell a little bit short," he said.
"We had chances to take the game to extra time but we've got to be proud about the way we came back against one of the best teams in the world, to fight to the end. We want more. We want to be back here next season and we will try our best to do that."
McGinn said the players gave their all against a superb opponent. "We never gave up. It was chaos, but we gave absolutely everything and I think every Aston Villa supporter will leave with a huge sense of pride," he said.
"I've never played against Real Madrid or Barcelona, but in my career they (PSG) are the best team I have faced. I'm getting old and I certainly wouldn't like to play against them every week."
(Reporting by Andrew Cawthorne; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
