Rise of the Villans

Inside Unai Emery's Aston Villa Revolution

By: Guillem Balague, Mervyn King - introduction

Narrated by: Elexi Walker

'BRILLIANT, REVEALS DELIGHTFUL DETAILS ABOUT EMERY' The Times
'A BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE MAKING OF A MODERN FOOTBALL IDENTITY' Midlands Gazette

Featuring exclusive interviews with Unai Emery, Monchi, Morgan Rogers and more, this is the behind-the-scenes account of Unai Emery's Aston Villa revolution, from the award-winning bestseller Guillem Balagué.

In October 2022, Unai Emery was appointed manager of Aston Villa. Despite being one of England's most historic clubs, Emery was taking charge of a team in turmoil and hovering above the relegation zone in the Premier League. But in his very first match, Villa produced a statement victory, deftly beating Manchester United 3-1 at Villa Park. It was a sign of things to come; in his first full season in charge, Emery would lead the club to a top four finish - qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in over four decades.

Guillem Balagué has had unparalleled access to Unai Emery, his backroom staff and the Villa squad ever since the Spaniard was appointed manager in 2022. From growing up in the Basque region to becoming one of the most exciting coaches today, Rise of the Villans reveals the inner workings of Emery's psyche. Guillem takes readers inside Bodymoor Heath to show how Unai has transformed Villa into an exciting side renowned for their direct passing, high energy and devastating counter attacks. At the core of the book are Villa's passionate fans, who outline why they believe club and manager are the perfect match.

With the Holte End roaring into life as Villa Park welcomed the return of European football's most prestigious club competition, it was clear for all to see: Unai Emery had awoken the sleeping giant.©2025 Guillem Balague

Critic reviews

Guillem Balague's brilliant new book on Emery, Rise of the Villans... Balague's book reveals delightful details about Emery, like how he considered trademarking his famous Spanglish interview greeting of "Good ebening" and how his favourite book is Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Father Jacques Philippe, a volume on Catholic spirituality.

One of the book's strengths is that it treats the fanbase as part of the story rather than scenery, capturing why many supporters feel that club and coach are an unusually good match, and what it means when the Holte End senses a real plan unfolding... If you want the cleanest way to describe what Balagué is offering here, it's this: a backstage pass to the making of a modern football identity, told by a writer whose career has been built on getting close enough to show the reader the wiring. Not the roar alone, but the switches that made the roar possible.

Saint Emery and the mid table book

The author is just absolutely glazing the manager, Emery, the whole time, if Unai Emery wrote this himself it couldn't be more of a spin zone. There is a lot of interesting detail and valuable insight in the book but to get to it its a terrific slog through the syrup-sweet hyperbole and wishcasting. It's actually uncomfortable how rosey this book gets about its main subject. To listen to It feels much like how it feels to hear subjects in an authoritarian dictatorship praise their fearless leader. I knew nothing of detail about Emery or Villa before this book, all I know now is that I feel like I'm not possibly getting the whole story...and maybe the author had a ___ to his head writing this. Were you forced lad? Blink twice if need us to rescue you.