Matty Cash and Unai Emery on Villa's UCL clash with Bologna
21/10/2024
uefa24
Villa Park, Birmingham, UK
21/10/2024
uefa24
Villa Park, Birmingham, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00I think the game nowadays is almost so tactically played that when you have a manager like Unai
00:10who knows tactical side inside out, it helps us massively. Obviously you can see over the
00:14last two years how tactically well we are drilled. I think that's why we pick up good
00:20results against tough opponents. Obviously it leads down to quality as well on the pitch
00:24and sometimes you're in situations where you have to deal with it in your own quality.
00:28We're the players, we have to do it, but we're obviously given information off the pitch
00:33to go and perform. Obviously it comes down to individual quality, but tactically you
00:38have to be at this level, you have to be bang on it.
00:41It was a bit of a slow start for Italian club Bologna this year. I don't know if you have
00:54seen them play once before, just the first time, if you know anything about the team.
00:59Of course there are two Polish internationals in the squad, Lukasz Skorupski and Kacper
01:03Urbanski. If you text them, if you have anything to share, playing with Skorupski, if you have
01:10any, something like that. Thank you.
01:12Skorupski actually commented on my Instagram post the other day and he just said, see you
01:16on Tuesday. He's a good friend of mine. He actually doesn't speak great English, but
01:22we somehow have a good connection, which is, he is funny, he's a good guy. So it'd be nice
01:26to see him. But I think they're a really good side. I think last season as well, they had
01:30an amazing season, obviously got into the Champions League. And then obviously they've
01:34had a draw and a loss against Liverpool last, but we know that they're a quality team. Obviously
01:40every team that we come up against in the Champions League are a good team. So we have
01:44to respect them and obviously looking forward to the challenge.
01:53Have you had any chat amongst yourselves in the dressing room about how many points
01:59that you'll need to qualify? Or is it just a question of just ploughing on and see where
02:04it takes you in the group stages?
02:05Yeah, I don't want to give you a boring answer here, but yeah, probably. I think now we haven't
02:09really had a conversation about that. Obviously at the minute we're just playing every game
02:13as it comes. And yeah, we haven't had a conversation. We know where we want to be. We know that
02:18every game we play we want to win. And that's how you rack up the points, by winning games
02:23and not getting beaten.
02:24Can we ask you just a quick question about Tyrone? Because I know you're pals, big pals
02:29with him. It's been 14 months now. I mean, how's he been during that time and how close
02:34is he to coming back? Because obviously he travelled on Saturday, didn't he?
02:37Yeah, obviously Ty, he's worked so hard to get back fit. Obviously it's taken a little
02:44bit longer with him. He's had to take his time. But yeah, every time I see him, to be
02:48honest, and have a convo with him, he's in the gym doing pre-hab. But he looks in really
02:53good shape. He looks really good. And yeah, looking forward to integrating him into the
02:57team and obviously to have Booba back as well is massive for us. So yeah, it's nice to have
03:03him back.
03:04I mean, he's a pretty impressive physical specimen anyway when he was injured. Is he
03:07coming back a new and improved Tyrone Mings?
03:10Yeah, to be honest, yeah. Obviously he's always been a beast, you know. So he looks really
03:14good, yeah, in training. He looks sharp as well. So I'm sure he'll start racking up his
03:19minutes soon.
03:28Hi. This is going to be the second home game for Aston Villa. The first one was a success
03:33and also the atmosphere was great. What do you expect from Villa Park tomorrow night?
03:39Yeah, I think it'll be loud, yeah. Obviously the first one against Bayern was incredible.
03:44Obviously I was sat on the bench and it was so loud. I couldn't even hear myself talk.
03:49But yeah, I think every game this year in the Champions League at home is going to be
03:54an amazing atmosphere. So yeah, really looking forward to that. And obviously I haven't made
03:58my Champions League debut yet, so hopefully it comes tomorrow.
04:03As you said, you haven't made your debut yet in this competition. What would that mean
04:07for you? I mean, this is the Champions League, right? What does the Champions League represent
04:12for a player?
04:13Yeah, I think as a young boy, I think every boy's dream is to play at the highest level
04:19in football. And obviously I've worked incredibly hard to get here. Obviously I had the spell
04:26in the World Cup, which was obviously a major tournament, which was amazing. And yeah, obviously
04:30Premier League debut four years ago now, and now it's obviously the Champions League. So
04:35yeah, I'm just really looking forward to it. And yeah, I've dreamed of these moments as
04:42a young boy, so hopefully it comes.
04:46Was this where you expected to be when you signed from Forest four years ago?
04:50Probably not, to be honest, no. I think the club's obviously, in the last four years since
04:55I've joined the club, it's gone through the roof. I think the quality in every single
05:00department's gone up. And the club's not got a ceiling, to be honest. I think it can go
05:04all the way to the top. Obviously now playing Champions League football, it's been a building
05:08block to get here, and the manager's been a big part of that to get us here. So yeah,
05:14obviously, yeah, it's great to be here. And yeah, in four years we've come a long way.
05:19I saw Tom Rand in an interview the other week where he said something, I can't remember
05:22the exact quote, but he said basically there's no time under this manager to not be improving.
05:25Do you feel that? It's almost like you've got a squad now, and once you're in the team,
05:30you've got to fight to keep your place.
05:33Yeah, you have to perform. If you don't perform, then you don't play. And yeah, obviously the
05:38manager's massive. I think our squad now, we have such a great squad in all positions.
05:43We're strong all over, and you're going to need that with the games that we're going
05:46to play. Obviously Premier League, then Champions League, and then cup games as well. It's going
05:51to be a lot of rotation, so everyone has to be ready to perform. And as I said, yeah,
05:56it makes you play better, I think, having loads of competition.
06:03I was just going to say, what do you think is the most significant step that has been
06:08taken under this manager since he's come in? You say you've got no seed in, but what do
06:12you think is the biggest factor behind that?
06:14I think consistency. I think being consistent in the league has been a key factor to it.
06:20I think before, we've always had a good squad, but we weren't consistent with our results
06:26with the last few managers, and that's no disrespect to them. I just think now the consistency
06:32we have in each game, and the demands that we have, the demands that the manager puts
06:36on us to perform, to win, I think that's the most important thing, to be consistent, to
06:41get results.
06:42And just in terms of the start of this season, Matt, do you think it could be this good,
06:45obviously, to step up in class in terms of Champions League, but it's gone swimmingly
06:50so far.
06:51Yeah, I think we've always had the quality to do it. I think it's obviously a belief
06:54thing as well, you have to believe. I've mentioned the manager many times, he's given us that
06:58platform to go and perform. He does everything off the pitch, in terms of the meetings and
07:03the videos and the details he goes into to make sure we're ready. I think it all ties
07:09in, it's a major part to why we're here. And yeah, we just want to keep performing, keep
07:13winning. The Premier League's obviously really important to get into the fourth position
07:17to get Champions League football, and then when we're here, just enjoy it, and just play
07:21with freedom, express ourselves and try and get as many results as we can.
07:26We'll make this the last one, Bricey.
07:28Matt, you said that you grew up watching the Champions League. Have you got one favourite
07:32memory, one thing that stands out, your first memory of the Champions League?
07:37Yeah, probably the Liverpool-Milan match, that was unbelievable. The comeback was crazy.
07:45So probably that moment, yeah. And obviously we had Gerrard as well, I asked him a lot
07:49of questions about it.
07:50Did you?
07:51Yeah, probably that, I'd say.
07:54Did that make you believe that you could never be beaten in a game?
07:57Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I think that game shows how you should never give up in a game like
08:03that. And obviously, yeah, all the quality goals were great to watch.
08:07And just on the flip side, you've come up the hard way through the game. Is there a
08:12game you can remember that you just want to put out your mind and forget for all the wrong
08:17reasons, a ground that you've hated playing at?
08:19I like playing at every ground, you know. I think... What game would I say?
08:24Probably the start of the last season, Newcastle away was tough, you know. That was a tough
08:28game for us. And obviously to start the season like that wasn't great, I didn't play great
08:32at all. But I just tried to put it to bed and then we bounced back in the next home
08:36game and won. So, yeah, I think in football, especially at this level, you're always going
08:40to have difficult moments, it's just how you bounce back and go the next one.
08:44Thanks, everybody.
08:46Thank you, guys. Cheers.
08:50Oh, man.
08:53OK, OK.
09:05OK, thank you.
09:10Here we are.
09:15Afternoon, everyone.
09:20Afternoon, Unai. What's been the key to the team being so consistent in the Premier League
09:26and Champions League so far this season?
09:29Good afternoon. But it's a challenge every day and every match we are playing. Of course,
09:35we started after the break and it was very important winning in Fulham because the last
09:42two matches we played before, in Ipswich Town and Manchester United, we drew and it was
09:48not enough for us. But we started very well and on the other side, we started and we played
09:57before the break very well in the Champions League and we won two matches. But to get
10:03the balance is the most important and after the victory we did in Fulham, tomorrow is
10:12really the new challenge to try to keep the same mentality, the same performance, the
10:19same preparation for the match. It will be very difficult but this is the challenge.
10:27Hopefully, we can get it.
10:29How important in the coming weeks will players like Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings, even Emi
10:34Buendia coming back to fitness with playing in all these different competitions?
10:39Yes, very important. When we can have more options in the starting eleven with the players,
10:46they are fit, they are getting good performances with the team, it's the most important.
10:54Now is the moment. We have to be intelligent and we have to be as well in good preparation
11:04for everyone to try to help us on the field. Maybe not being consistent 90 minutes because
11:12it's very difficult and sometimes my experiences brought me to be clinical as well myself,
11:21thinking and asking the players how they can get being consistent physically and mentally
11:29with the energy playing out of matches and in the level we are because of course our
11:36mentality is to keep the same level we had last year in Premier League and the same level
11:44we can have this year in Champions League. We got it in Conference League but of course
11:49Champions League is more demanding than Conference and now I am very proud of our work we are
11:56doing but each day, even today in training session, it's very important how they are responding to the players.
12:04Now that you've got all these players fit, as close to a fully fit squad as you've ever had,
12:10can you do any planning ahead as to which players will play in which games and when you will rotate
12:17or is that impossible?
12:19But it's not rotating, I am only thinking how I can get tomorrow the best performances
12:26and of course it's very important some players can have some risk to be injured or to get injured
12:35and the experience is usually when you are playing important matches for the next days,
12:47when you are preparing it, the players they want to be ready, they want to hide in case they can have some small pain.
13:01And this is the most important, be honest the players and myself now, it's very important how we are going to
13:11prepare the match for tomorrow but at the beginning it's how are the players after the match we played on Saturday.
13:18And then I am going to decide, thinking the best team for tomorrow but like I did against Fulham,
13:24like I will do against Burnham on Saturday, I will do tomorrow against Bologna.
13:31And we are facing those competitions but the priority is Premier League.
13:36And secondly of course is the Champions League to try to play competing and to play getting our way
13:45and of course be protagonists there and we are starting in this way but tomorrow is the new challenge
13:51and then we are going to prepare as well and we are going to focus the next objective after those first competitions
13:58in FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
14:00The games are very close together, three or four days now for the next few weeks.
14:05There is not a lot of time to do all that tactical planning.
14:08Does that change the way you have to work with the players just because there is so little time?
14:13But it depends because when we played against Young Boys on Tuesday as well like tomorrow,
14:18we were playing on Saturday and we got everybody very good performances against Young Boys.
14:25But it depends because then when we played against Ibsenstown after well playing in Europe, we didn't get it.
14:34And this is the reason it depends and I have to try to get the best information from the medical and as well from the players.
14:47And myself then tactically how we prepare the match tomorrow, competing, adapting of them
14:54and maybe some players they are better for the characteristics they have maybe
15:00and how we are as well trying to manage the players we have and trying to manage as well some players
15:07when they are coming after long injury, how I can introduce them on the field.
15:15Hello Unite Italian Press.
15:17What do you know about Bologna as a team and of their coach if you know something about him?
15:23And this summer you had a Bologna player in a swap with Douglas Luiz Samuel Iling Jr.
15:30that you and the club decided to loan this year.
15:34Why you take this decision and what do you know about him?
15:40Bologna, they have been successful the last years of course.
15:44They are a team with a huge history in Italy.
15:50And last year they played fantastic with Thiago Mota and they signed a new coach.
15:57He was successful with Fiorentina playing the last two finals in the Conference League.
16:02And now when we are analysing them, they are keeping the same more or less players
16:09and they are keeping more or less the same successful way.
16:13Really they are not now winning easy matches because they are drawing more
16:18but always they are very tight in the result and they deserve more points than they have now.
16:23And their style with the new coach is really playing very well.
16:27Playing in combination, playing very well as well.
16:31Defensively being aggressive.
16:33They played a fantastic match against Liverpool.
16:36Fantastic match and they deserve more against Liverpool.
16:39They face them more or less competing in the same way.
16:46And tomorrow I think for them, because they have only one point,
16:50it's going to be a very difficult match for us because they are going to push.
16:54They are going to try to get a point tomorrow because of course it's Day 3.
16:59But they will need points as we will need.
17:05And we are really respecting them a lot.
17:08But of course we are going to try tomorrow to play in the same motivation we played the last match.
17:13In the same excited moment we played without support in Villaparque.
17:17Pushing a lot and respecting them.
17:19I think it's the first way we can do it.
17:24We want to win.
17:31Yes, of course he's a young player.
17:34He needed to do a plan where he could get more minutes playing at the high level.
17:44For him it's a very interesting thing to try to get there the minute they will need.
17:51And of course get confidence playing at this level and facing the best teams in Italy and here in Europe.
18:01We are of course following him.
18:03Trying to use the experience he's having now with Bologna to do with us in the future.
18:11Hi, in Italian is it possible?
18:19In Italy it is said that you are the king of the cup.
18:23And several times we have written to journalists about the possibility of seeing you as a coach in Italy.
18:30Not least this year with Milan.
18:32I wanted to ask you what is true and if you would like to coach in Italy one day. Thank you.
18:42Ok, no way now.
18:44No way.
18:45Of course Italy is a very good competition for the clubs.
18:50And in the past I had sometimes maybe the opportunity to go there.
18:57But always I was very happy in the clubs I was.
19:00And I have a lot of respect for the Italian clubs.
19:04And I don't know the future, but no way now.
19:09Unai, I think this Thursday will mark two years since you were appointed.
19:14I just wondered how do you reflect on those two years?
19:17And for you was there a particular moment that has been particularly significant along this journey?
19:24The most important is for us how we are increasing our demands.
19:32And getting with our demands, getting the objective we are more or less facing each year.
19:38Two years ago we avoided to be in risk to lose the Premier League.
19:46And even we had time to get a European position in the Conference League.
19:52Of course it was amazing our first seven months we had here.
19:58And last year continuing our process we increased a lot our demands.
20:06Getting the Champions League.
20:08And the challenge is to get better every day.
20:13And now how we can keep the same level we have now.
20:18And keep it for a long time.
20:21And this is the most difficult.
20:23The most difficult when you are achieving some objective in the high level.
20:29How you can be demanding and you can be successful working hard to keep it.
20:36And this is the idea I have now.
20:38And the club is in the same way.
20:42The players they are with the same message I am giving you here.
20:52The only one word I am repeating when I arrived here last year and now is I don't want to waste my time here.
21:06And this is the message as well for everybody.
21:09I don't want you can waste your time here.
21:14And we are professional but we can get professionally our best objective individually and collectively.
21:22And my objective here individually is try to keep the same level we have now.
21:28Champions League and add something more like to be contender for a trophy.
21:44What do you think about Thiago Motta's football in Paris?
21:57Thiago Motta was a fantastic player.
22:00I worked with him in Paris.
22:04He is very competitive like he was when he was a player now as a coach.
22:11When he was a player we were looking at him and he was a potential coach in that moment and now he is.
22:23And with a very successful way in a few years.
22:31And now he is in Juventus of course playing as well very well.
22:36He did very fantastic work in Bologna before in Spezia.
22:40And he is a football man.
22:44And he is a competitor and he will achieve a lot of things in his career being successful.
22:57Unai just to build on Ben's question.
23:00Mati Cash has just come in here and told us that the sky is the limit for this football club under you here.
23:07We have all seen the rise.
23:09Do you think you are building something special here?
23:21Of course this is the message.
23:23And when they are sending the same message I am sending inside with the players.
23:29And they are sending outside like me.
23:32This is the way we love football.
23:38We love our work.
23:40And we want to be successful.
23:43And we want to achieve individually and collectively the objective we can face.
23:47And one of them of course is to play in the Champions League.
23:50But now it is not only to play like one team we are there for some circumstances in this moment.
23:57I want to keep it for a long time.
23:59But it is difficult.
24:00And of course maybe we can have sometimes some problems or we can struggle sometimes in our way.
24:07But we have to be resilient in the moment like that in case they are coming.
24:13And to be strong always in the same idea in our mind.
24:16To create a strong mentality.
24:19To try to break barriers always.
24:25Unai you said breaking barriers there.
24:28Probably not since Porto won the Champions League.
24:32It has generally been won by teams of great wealth.
24:36Do you think it is possible for clubs outside that to win it still?
24:41Yes, but I have my own experiences in Europe.
24:46In conferences in the Europa League and in the Champions League.
24:50And we started facing those things we played.
25:00Showing our capacity to adapt quick for this competition.
25:06And adapting because we are getting, collectively, the performances this competition demands.
25:16And we can't believe working like we are doing we can't keep it.
25:22And this is the challenge.
25:24And this is really my priority here now.
25:27We are fourth in the Premier League.
25:30We are with two wins in the Champions League.
25:37I want it.
25:38And I want to try to be always winning more matches than losing.
25:44And trying to work hard to keep it for a long time.
25:50And each match for me is very important.
25:53How we are deeply preparing and deeply demanding to beat the opponent in the highest level we are facing.
26:07Last year I was in conference.
26:09It was the first experience here with Aston Villa, with the players, with the club, with us.
26:14And this year with the Champions League.
26:18And tomorrow, hopefully, we will play.
26:21Show win again.
26:23We are.
26:24We are.
26:25And we believe we can compete.
26:28I don't know how far we are going to get.
26:32But in this moment we are here.
26:36Not in the bottom.
26:37Not maybe the first.
26:38But we are here.
26:39In good position in the Premier League, in the Champions League.
26:44Thank you so much.