Aston Villa boss Unai Emery reacts to their UEFA Conference League semi-final exit to Olympiakos
Piraeus, Athens, Greece
Piraeus, Athens, Greece
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00:00 Hi everyone, if you can help us out by raising your hand when you want to ask a question,
00:05 that will allow us to work our way through.
00:07 Charlotte, on you go.
00:09 Unai, what are your thoughts on that? Obviously disappointed to go out.
00:13 Good evening, congratulations for them.
00:16 Good evening, congratulations for them. They deserve to win.
00:23 The first leg we played in Birmingham, we lost the first opportunity to be with more possibilities the second leg here.
00:34 But we tried and we started focusing on the match, how we could manage 90 minutes here.
00:44 I was more or less comfortable the first half today we played because we created chances.
00:54 We didn't concede a lot of them, we stopped them better than in Birmingham.
00:59 But even like that they scored one goal. They were clinical, more than us.
01:03 Even we were having more chances but we didn't score.
01:09 In the second half, progressively we were feeling less comfortable on the field.
01:17 When they scored the second goal, we more or less finished the match.
01:20 But congratulations for them. It's our process.
01:25 Thankful for our supporters, our fans. They came here and they enjoyed with us this way.
01:32 We have got to the semi-final. It's really for the first time we had to accept it's not enough but we are in the process.
01:41 The first objective like I told at the beginning of the season was to try to play again in Europe.
01:52 Try to compete in Europe. And through the Premier League was the first objective to try to get it.
01:59 We got to play next year in Europe League. We are improving.
02:03 We had the opportunity in the two matches we went to play against Liverpool and Crystal Palace to get the fourth position.
02:12 It's amazing our motivation. Very great motivation we have with our supporters.
02:19 We had to be disappointed a little bit, frustrated a little bit but a little bit.
02:25 We had to react quick in our mind to focus the match on Sunday, on Monday.
02:30 Congratulations again for Olympiacos.
02:33 Unai, how much do you think the experiences this season will help your team improve in Europe next season if you are in the Champions League or Europa League?
02:45 I think we will survive. Everything we are taking in our back playing this year in Europe is experiences.
02:55 And experiences sometimes is very, very important.
03:00 When we finished the first leg there at home in Birmingham with my experiences as well, I know today was more difficult of course.
03:14 And they were playing with confidence with the result they had there.
03:21 But we were focusing as well the opportunity to get here, chances to be close of them.
03:30 But we didn't do. And we had to accept it and we have to try to understand our process.
03:40 And how we can improve, get a lot of information and try to, after the experience we are having, try to continue in our way.
03:52 And today is a difficult day but quick, quick change.
03:58 And we are in Europe again and we have the opportunity to compete the last two matches.
04:02 Thank you.
04:07 Good evening. The Premier League is going great with the team.
04:13 Good evening. The Premier League is going great with the team.
04:26 They are claiming the exit to the Champions League, the top qualifier.
04:31 First of all, do you think that the progress in the Olympic games was lost because of the lack of experience in the European organizations of his team?
04:41 And second, he is a coach of the two top leagues. He has coached teams from Spain and England, which are the two top European leagues.
04:50 Would he like to coach a team that will have the world of the Olympic Games as he experienced it today? Thank you.
04:58 Thank you.
04:59 Yes, of course, the summary of the season is at the end of the season.
05:11 And still two matches to play in the Premier League.
05:14 And we were very motivated for this competition because for a long time, Aston Villa didn't play in Europe and get in the semi-final like we got this year.
05:26 But to win is very difficult. And I know to win in Europe is very difficult in the Champions League, in the European League and in the Conference League.
05:34 And we had to accept getting here and try to get good information, a lot of information and experiences.
05:41 And experiences are always very important.
05:43 What is experience? It's trying to manage different moments.
05:50 The first leg we played there was the moment we were not really managing it like I think we have to manage.
05:58 But even like that, we were here trying to get a good result and to get the final.
06:04 But we didn't get it and congratulations for them.
06:08 And then, yes, I have experiences in Russia even, in Paris, in France, in Spain and here in England.
06:18 And I am a coach always getting my experiences, my own experiences as well as a coach in different countries.
06:26 And always I coach a lot of things trying to get better.
06:32 And here always I respect a lot every country, every team in Europe because this year as well we struggled playing with other teams and other countries taking experiences.
06:47 And Olympiacos, we have some friends as well, they were training here.
06:54 The coach now, Mendy Liver or even before was Ernesto Valverde and as well some workers here in Olympiacos.
07:02 And really I am happy for them because the atmosphere here was a great atmosphere, it was fantastic the atmosphere they created here and they deserve it.
07:12 Last two questions please, one here then we'll finish here.
07:16 Good evening coach, when the semi-final was over, the teams were divided and Olympiacos, probably Aston Villa, lost to Olympiacos.
07:33 Everyone considered Aston Villa to be the favourite of the qualifiers and because it is one of the top teams this year in the Premier League.
07:42 And because it is the biggest budget and the general feeling was that Aston Villa is the favourite.
07:47 What was the role and the team received six goals in two games, in two clean games, in two games that showed that Olympiacos was a better team than Aston Villa. What exactly did you see?
07:59 Congratulations again and it's football and we could be favourites before the first leg, yes I can accept it.
08:10 But favourites is showing on the pitch, on the field.
08:13 Jacob, last one on the go.
08:21 It was a young bench tonight, what's the latest on the injuries to Zaniolo, Tillemans, Rodgers and Moreno?
08:28 Each day is going to be very important, each day. Because some players they are with a small injury, someone is having pain and is not updated where he can come back.
08:48 Zaniolo is close but until he is not feeling comfortable with his pain he is not available to play. Hopefully he can progress the next days.
09:02 Tillemans is close, Alex Moreno is a small injury, not a big injury. Some days he will need and maybe he will be available.
09:15 Nicolo Tillemans, Alex Moreno, those players I think.
09:20 Thanks everybody.
09:22 Thank you and congratulations again Olympiacos.
09:25 Olympiakos.