Unai Emery: 'Dream to play in Champions League'

Sevilla boss Unai Emery has revealed that it is 'a dream' to be competing in the Champions League this season.

The Red and Whites finished fifth in La Liga last season, but qualified for the group stages of the European Cup by winning the Europa League.

Despite the excitement ahead of Tuesday's Group D opener against Borussia Monchengladbach, Emery is well aware of the need to balance both domestic and European football in the season ahead.

"We're playing in our temple, a football game that is more than that. The motivation and excitement of playing at home against such great opponents is huge. But we can't put the league on the back burner," Emery told AS.

"Playing in this competition was my dream when I got here. I renewed my contract to help the team grow further. We don't want this to be a fleeting step.

"The Champions League is a good, attractive, competitive place and it's difficult. It will ask a lot of us. In the two away games in the league we've had enough chances to get three points. It was the same in my first campaign. You always need to adjust."

Sevilla beat Gladbach in the last-32 stage of the Europa League last season, before going on to lift the trophy for a second successive campaign.