Listen to a sample
Rise of the Villans
- Author
- Guillem Balague
- Narrator
- Elexi Walker
- Publisher
- Orion
- Publish Date
- 4 November 2025
- Run Time
- 21 hours 10 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
What to expect
THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ASTON VILLA FANS
'BRILLIANT, REVEALS DELIGHTFUL DETAILS ABOUT EMERY' The Times
'A BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE MAKING OF A MODERN FOOTBALL IDENTITY' Midlands Gazette
"Aston Villa is waking up. The slumbering giant is stretching its limbs, eyes wide with the promise of glory. The fans feel it. The city feels it. With Unai Emery at the helm and new ownership driving ambition, there's a feeling that after years of wandering in the wilderness, Villa is finally coming home to where it belongs..."
Guillem Balagué has had unparalleled access to Unai Emery, his backroom staff and the Aston 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 also 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, it was clear for all to see: Unai Emery had awoken the sleeping giant.
Critics Review
-
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.
Jonathan Northcroft, The Times
-
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.
Sam Wayne, Midlands Gazette
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Guillem Balague
- Narrator
- Elexi Walker
- Duration
- 21 hours 10 minutes
- Release Date
- 4 November 2025
- ISBN
- 9781399625081
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- Orion
- Genre
- Association football (Soccer)
Synopsis
RELIVE THE 2026 EUROPA LEAGUE TRIUMPH WITH THIS NEW, FULLY UPDATED PAPERBACK EDITION! THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ASTON VILLA FANS'BRILLIANT, REVEALS DELIGHTFUL DETAILS ABOUT EMERY' The Times'A BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE MAKING OF A MODERN FOOTBALL IDENTITY' Midlands Gazette"Aston Villa is waking up. The slumbering giant is stretching its limbs, eyes wide with the promise of glory. The fans feel it. The city feels it. With Unai Emery at the helm and new ownership driving ambition, there's a feeling that after years of wandering in the wilderness, Villa is finally coming home to where it belongs..."Guillem Balagué has had unparalleled access to Unai Emery, his backroom staff and the Aston 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 also 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, it was clear for all to see: Unai Emery had awoken the sleeping giant.
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.