With three matches to go in the group phase Villa sit ninth in the table and know a victory would put them in prime position to avoid the play-off round and progress straight through to the last-16.
Hosts Leipzig have lost all five of their matches to date with their boss, Marco Rose, describing the game against Villa as “must-win” if they are to avoid early elimination.
Emery believes those circumstances should make for an exciting match and a valuable test of his team.
He said: “I like matches like this because it’s key for them to get to the next round.
“Playing with their supporters, it will be fantastic for them, how we can respond to this and how we can get our performances and compete.
“My expectation and my wishes to play tomorrow in this competition is because of how we can break our limit.
“At the beginning we were more or less contenders to be between eight and 24 (in the table), but the possibility we have to be in the top eight, (it is about) how we can face this, how the players can respond and show our capacity.
“This is the expectation I have. I want to play matches like that because for our mentality it is good as well, how we can manage one match like tomorrow, and with the difficulties we are going to face.
“Maybe tomorrow if they are not winning, they will not have possibilities to be in the next round and for Leipzig, they usually have the capacity, players and objective to be there. This is our challenge.”
Leon Bailey (hamstring) is out for Villa, though Emery hopes the winger could return for Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest.