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Spanish Journalist Sends Warning To Arsenal Fans As He Praises Villarreal Boss Unai Emery

In his 628th day as Villarreal manager Unai Emery led his team to a 2-1 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Villarreal had qualified for this season's Champions League by winning the Europa League last season.

Emery came to Villarreal eight months after being sacked by Arsenal, where he only lasted 556 days.

His dismissal in November 2019 was described by the Arsenal Supporters' Trust at the time as "unfortunate but inevitable".

But why was it inevitable?

SEE ALSO: Villarreal Party In Locker Room After Knocking Bayern Munich Out Of The Champions League

Spanish journalist Guillem Balague believes Emery was a victim of short-term thinking and a lack of patience among Gunners fans.

Emery was sacked after Arsenal went seven games without a win, although five of those matches were draws.

The day before he was sacked, some fans at the Emirates Stadium held up signs which read: "EMERY OUT. NO TACTICS. NO FORMATION. NOWHERE TO HIDE".

Arsenal fans pictured holding up "EMERY OUT" posters at Unai Emery's final game as the club's manager in November 2019

Arsenal fans pictured holding up "EMERY OUT" posters at Unai Emery's final game as the club's manager in November 2019

Yet fast-forward to 2022 and Emery is being hailed as a tactical genius.

After Villarreal beat Bayern in the first leg of their UCL quarter-final last week, forward Arnaut Danjuma called Emery a "tactical mastermind".

Danjuma added: "His strategy always seems to work for us. We are confident in our manager and our manager is confident in us. It goes hand in hand."

Confidence from the fans is an important ingredient too, or at least the absence of a vocal lack of confidence.

Balague sent a warning to Arsenal fans on Tuesday night, urging them to be patient with current manager Mikel Arteta.

On Emery, Balague tweeted: "Not good enough for huge amount of Arsenal fans. Their demand for solutions NOW ignoring long term plans means Unai had to look somewhere else for his place in the world. Villarreal's gain!

"Remember that when you wish drastic changes after every defeat under Arteta".