The Aston Villa manager was honoured before the friendly at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, where his former club also celebrated the three consecutive UEFA Europa League titles he won during his time in charge.
“Sevilla taught me many things, made me a better coach, made me a better person,” Emery said in comments published by the club.
“Coming on a day like today is very important to me. The previous times I have come, it has been playing with Villarreal and you have no more time than to be focused on your team.”
Emery also recalled returning to Sevilla following the death of José Antonio Reyes, an experience that brought back memories of his relationship with the club and the former Spain international.
He said the Antonio Puerta Trophy provided another opportunity to reconnect with people and moments from his time in Nervión.
“I feel very loved and at the same time I love many people here,” Emery said. “Today, with the Antonio Puerta Trophy, for me it is also a special day.”
The 54-year-old coach was particularly struck by the reception inside the stadium and the presence of his former players and the Europa League trophies he won with Sevilla.
“I expected the stadium to have a massive presence of fans and that is how it has been,” he said. “It has been reliving in a few minutes great moments that we have had here.”
Emery credited the players he worked with for their loyalty, commitment and willingness to pursue the collective objectives established during his tenure.
“For me I will always feel very proud,” he said. “The relationship between players and coaches always has its difficulties, but when things collectively have a benefit for Sevilla, the fans, the coaches and the players, everything explodes positively and with joy.”
Although the match was a friendly, Emery said Aston Villa still approached it seriously, using the game to work on collective and individual objectives and give opportunities to players who have featured less regularly.
“We also had collective and individual objectives with the players who are playing less and we wanted to give the match seriousness,” he said. “The players gave that seriousness and, although the result is not important in a friendly, competing and maintaining that mentality is always useful.”
Villa eventually won the 15th edition of the tournament after coming from behind to beat Sevilla, who had taken the lead through Isaac Romero.
For Emery, the result was secondary to an occasion that allowed him to revisit one of the most significant periods of his coaching career and reconnect with a club where he remains deeply attached.