Emery and Cash preview their champions league second leg v Brugge leading 3-1
11/03/2025
uefa25
11/03/2025
uefa25
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Yep, I think we're okay. Same as usual for the European press conferences, raise hand,
00:07we'll try and work our way around as many as possible. And happy for, is BBC going to
00:13lead us off? Maybe. Slight mic issue, hold on. If you raise your hand you should be given
00:25the mic. Here we go, yep. Thank you very much.
00:35Okay, hello, nice to see you. How does planning change when you know you already have a two-goal
00:43lead? Can it be just the same as normal?
00:46Nothing, nothing change. We are respecting them a lot and we have our own experiences,
01:00myself or the players as well, in their career. Could happen everything tomorrow. Why? Because
01:11this football match in 90 minutes can happen out of things. The match can change so quick
01:18and we won there but we won the last minute in two actions we had. It's football but the
01:29respect is massive. The respect of them is massive. The result is for us to follow the
01:36same game plan we had there. We are going to play tomorrow 90 minutes, the second 90
01:42minutes, second leg. We are ready for 90 minutes to compete. We are ready in case it's just
01:49the time and we are ready in case we will need penalty shoot.
01:56You've said quite a few times that the Premier League has to be the club's priority but where
02:01you are now, advanced in these two cup competitions as well as the Premier League, how does the
02:06affect or does it affect the decisions you have to make?
02:14We must separate now each competition and after it try to focus on one. The challenge
02:23that we have tomorrow in the Champions League is really a huge challenge we are going to
02:31face. To achieve something as a club, something for the supporters, something for the history
02:42and something as well as a professional. Players, the coaches, myself. But to achieve it is
02:52being the challenge tomorrow, thinking everything can happen and how we will face tomorrow the
03:01match. Following the same idea we had before, of course with the result 1-3 but we have
03:12to respect because they can score. We have as well some experiences at home against Celtic
03:21we were winning 2-0 and they came back the result in five minutes they drew.
03:28How we are going to face, to prepare, to plan the season from now at the end is really trying
03:44to get our best collectively, our best individually. Something we didn't achieve this season during
03:53the period we are.
03:56Unai, bearing in mind what you have just been saying, how important is it as well that the
04:02crowd who have been so important in your home games in Europe also don't get under the impression
04:09that the tie is won and give you the same loud support from the beginning?
04:15I think the supporters, they know the importance in our process here, not only in Villaparque
04:26as well the support they were in Bruges. The environment helping, supporting us is very
04:34important, to be motivated, excited, pushing us to show our best, try to get our performances
04:48like we are doing in Villaparque, with everything tactically, individually, emotionally as well
04:56try to connect with our supporters, with our energy, their energy. I think it's a really
05:04special moment tomorrow in Villaparque and we have to be together and we have to enjoy
05:10it, we have to get in balance but emotionally we have to feel it.
05:20Is Martin Aizand and San Siro going to be fit?
05:23They are in the squad, both.
05:27Is there any other injuries that you are worried about?
05:30Monana as well is coming back in the squad, Barclays not, Valen and Andres aren't and
05:42other players I think being in the squad, of course hopefully we can have every player
05:53available to play, everything we need.
05:56Just to pick up on something you said earlier, you've practised penalties then and you're
06:01ready if that's a possibility?
06:06How we can practise penalties is difficult because the practice, the real practice only
06:14is in the moment we are going to shoot, how the players can feel comfortable, strong and
06:25ready to shoot in the moment, in the competition moment. We can practise in the training ground
06:32but never is the same.
06:35The most important answer we can have about the penalty shooter is through their penalty
06:47shoot they had before. This is our real information we can get about the penalty shooter for the
06:57moment we will have, maybe tomorrow.
07:02Unai, you've used a lot of different combinations in attack this season, the one who has always
07:11been there has been Rodgers, what is it that he offers you particularly that you feel you
07:17can't do without?
07:20Now how is going and changing the football, I appreciate a lot the players being versatile,
07:40playing different positions, understanding tactically everything and one of them in our
07:46squad is clearly Morgan Rodgers as well as John McGinn and this versatility and of course
07:54performing like we are needing always is really very important and sometimes I am pushing
08:02as well some other players to be versatile or to adapt, be versatile as well in case
08:10we will need and not every player they are ready to do it but with John McGinn, with
08:20Morgan Rodgers they are really being always positive and this versatility is really very
08:29important for us and the last match as well we played a different position with Morgan,
08:36we played a striker, 10 number striker, right side, left side and he is always performing
08:42very well because he is a player understanding tactically everything we are planning and
08:50of course he has qualities as well to do it and the importance he has now is really always
09:02trying to improve, always I am pushing him to get more of him but physically as well
09:09he is more or less keeping the level we needed until today and hopefully tomorrow as well
09:18he can be ready to play 90 minutes and in case less of course performing like he is doing.
09:23Gunai, in 1982 when the club last won the European Cup they won 6 matches after beating
09:34Bayern Munich, if you win tomorrow it will be 7, what does that say about your squad
09:40and what they have achieved this season if they win tomorrow?
09:45Of course we have our challenges, our vision of how we want to increase our level and achieving
10:01different objectives and we are now involved in it and to play this Champions League is
10:08being fantastic but my objective is to be consistent playing in Europe and playing in
10:15Champions League and everything we are achieving of course is because we are in a new way and
10:22in a new demand, starting for the owners, starting for the club, starting for everything
10:28we are trying to set inside and I think the supporters they are in the same way, to keep
10:36it is difficult and this is the challenge I have, I think you can remember my objective
10:47here, my objective here firstly when I arrived here was to be contended for trophies, to
10:55play in Europe, maybe even the first objective I had when I arrived here was to be in Europe
11:01and we got it last year, this year, to be contended for a trophy, last year we were
11:06in confidence being contended but we lost the semi-final, this year we are in the FA
11:11Cup, we are now in Champions League as well and everything we are doing of course hopefully
11:18we can keep for a long time and this is the challenge, I know the club was after they
11:27won the Cup of Europe, they were for a long time not achieving the demands we are now
11:37setting in the club, to be in Europe, to be contended for trophies but everything we are
11:45doing of course is being important but I want more.
11:50Hi Unai, you have obviously had some brilliant results already in this competition in the
11:55first half of the season but after the business you did in January do you feel you are even
12:00stronger now and maybe have a better balance than you did in the first half of the season?
12:08Of course always every team we want to improve and we want to get better in each process
12:15we are doing but we have to see it on the field, we have to really show it, we are doing
12:23at the moment more or less I think we are getting better but we are under some expectation
12:32in Premier League and we have to try to get the balance for the next weeks and months
12:41in Premier League but of course everything we are doing in Champions League and FA Cup
12:46is being fantastic and to keep it is our challenge now because I don't want to stop, I want to
12:54try to get something more but it is going to be very difficult starting from tomorrow
12:59and we know how demanding we have to be in the process we have to get to achieve our
13:10collective and individual objective in the next weeks.
13:14Encouraging news that Asensio is in the squad, could I just ask you about how important it
13:18was for you to bring in somebody like him that has won this competition three times
13:24that change in mentality, has that made a difference, have you felt that?
13:29I think the experience the players have is important but they have to use their experiences
13:36again doing something and the matches he played he is showing us as well his adaptation
13:43is going very well and he is adding us, his qualities, his mentality, his wishes, his
13:53choice to be here with us and tomorrow is the next challenge we have with him and he
14:00has as well with us.
14:07Thank you very much.
14:18Right everyone thank you ever so much, we will do a quick ten minutes with Matty, if
14:22we could operate a hands up system that would be tremendously helpful and who would like
14:26to kick us off?
14:28Hello Matt, nice to see you, just put this in perspective for us, when you go out of
14:33the tunnel on these big European nights just how special does it feel to you all as players?
14:39Yes it is amazing to be fair, the atmosphere is always in a night game anyway, I think
14:44the atmosphere is always really good but obviously on a Champions League occasion it is double
14:49as good so it is great to play in.
14:52Looking at your record so far at home in the Champions League this season, there won't
14:56be a team left in the competition I wouldn't have thought that would enjoy or relish the
15:00prospect of coming to Villa Park because of the form you are in there.
15:04Yes I think we have always felt comfortable at home, I think last season we went on a
15:09really good run there where we didn't lose for a long time and we were very dominant
15:13and I think even this season we have been consistent at home, I think the challenge
15:17has been to try and be more consistent away because the results haven't been as good away
15:22from home but at home I think we have obviously been consistent, we have had some good results
15:26against top teams as well so we have to continue that, we have to try and be as strong as you
15:32can at home and pick up as many points as you can obviously in the Champions League
15:36and in league as well.
15:38The manager has just been talking about the fact that obviously you almost have to pretend
15:41like it is starting afresh for this second game that you don't have a two goal advantage,
15:45is that a message he has been drumming home to the players?
15:48Yes definitely he has been really consistent with his message and I think us as players
15:52know as well that obviously in the Champions League every team can be really hurtful,
15:57obviously we have the two goal lead at the minute but there have been many occasions
16:02in the past that teams have been leading the first leg and then crashed out on the second
16:07so we have to be consistent and ready for the challenge.
16:12The first leg, you came out with a great result but it was a pretty tight game,
16:17how did you feel the team's performance was?
16:21I think I did an interview after the game at Bruges and I think they are a good team,
16:25obviously we played them a few months before as well and they showed how dominant they were
16:30and I think obviously we had a great result there and we put in a good performance
16:35and a strong performance but I think there were chances in the game at 1-1 as well,
16:39it could have gone either way really and obviously we come away,
16:43I won the penalty and made it 3-1 which is good to get another goal,
16:48obviously 2-1 is always a little bit risky but to go 3-1 is obviously really good away there
16:53but I am sure they are a fantastic team, they beat Atalanta in the game before
17:01and Atalanta are really good so it shows how consistent and dominant they are.
17:06There is a lot left in this season with three competitions you are still performing strongly in,
17:11I know the cliché is to take each game as it comes, we all understand why
17:16but is it difficult to do that sometimes and say we just have to focus on today
17:21because we know what big games might be coming down the road?
17:24Yes, I think it is always nice when you are in March and you are in the later stages of the group
17:29and obviously in the FA Cup as well we have done well and we have got another tough game
17:33but I think as players it is hard to look far ahead because every three days we are playing games
17:40so I know it does obviously sound cliché and you don't want to hear it
17:44but we haven't really got time to think ahead, the next game comes so fast
17:48and you have to think of your job, you have to think what is next
17:52and when you are playing so regularly it is hard to think so many games
17:58so it is hard to look ahead really, I think for us we have got to look at the next game
18:02and obviously that is what we have been doing recently.
18:04Hi Matty, how have you found the competition at Right Back since January window
18:08of Andres Garcia and also Axel Tassassi coming in?
18:11It is always nice to have competition I think, especially when you are in the Champions League
18:16and you have got a lot of games, you have to have competition at the high level.
18:20I think every top club has good competition, I think it is good
18:25and obviously with me as well I have had a few little niggles that haven't been great
18:29and I am trying to work my best to try and cut that out
18:33and sometimes it is obviously just a little bit unfortunate
18:36so I think when you play you have to take your chance
18:38and when players fill in they have to do well as well
18:42and we are all in the same sort of boat.
18:44What work have you been doing to stop those injuries or those niggling injuries from coming around?
18:48It is hard really because sometimes you feel good
18:50and then I went on a little run where I played a lot of games
18:52and then I had a little bit of fatigue and when you are playing at a high level
18:56the intensity is really high and obviously I have had a few little niggles
18:59and sometimes it just creeps up on you and when you play a lot of games
19:03it is difficult to put a finger on what it is, I think it just comes.
19:07So yes, I do everything right anyway, it is not the fact that I am not doing anything right,
19:11I am trying to do double as much as I can now to try and stay fit and stay in the team.
19:17Matt, you mentioned the competition for places,
19:19you have been at the club now since 2020,
19:22is this the strongest you have ever known the squad,
19:25particularly with the additions that came in a month or so ago?
19:28Yes, I think this is the best, all due respect to the squads we have had before,
19:32I think this is the best squad we have had in the years I have been here for sure.
19:36I think if you look at every single position we are strong in I think
19:39and in almost every position you have two really good players now,
19:45so as I said then it is really important to have that all around the squad
19:49and when you are playing games after games to have that rotation is good.
19:53Do you feel you are on the brink of something here,
19:55because I know you said quarter-finals, FA Cup,
19:5890 minutes potentially from a Champions League quarter-final,
20:01it is pretty exciting isn't it?
20:04Yes, it is an exciting time to be a Villa player and a Villa fan I think,
20:07definitely, as I said then we are in the quarters of the FA Cup,
20:12if you win the next game you go to Wembley so that would be a great day out if you can get that.
20:16So I think it is good to be excited definitely,
20:19as I said not to get too far ahead of ourselves
20:22but definitely to have that excitement to see what you could achieve
20:25is obviously a realistic thing.
20:28Matty, over in Belgium when you came on,
20:32it was a period of the game where Bruges had a bit of pressure
20:35and a lot of teams might have been backs against the wall and looked to defend
20:39but you were in their box to get the penalty,
20:42what did the manager say to you when you all went on?
20:46Yes, so it was 1-1 when we came on and the manager always says,
20:50well when I have been in situations like that he always,
20:53if I am playing or if I am coming off the bench in your level,
20:56he always says, let's just try and win the game
20:58and do everything we can to win the game.
21:00He doesn't want to draw, he just focuses,
21:03he has got that winning mentality so do everything you can to win
21:06and obviously me as an attacking full-back,
21:09if I can get the chance to go forward and get in the opposition's box,
21:13I love to do that.
21:15The message is clear, try and win the game and do everything you can to win.
21:21And just finally for me, when the team won the European Cup in 1982,
21:26they won six games to win the trophy,
21:29if you win tomorrow you have won seven,
21:31does that give you a sense of pride?
21:34How does that make you feel?
21:36Yes, obviously it would be a great achievement I think,
21:39and tomorrow we have got our full mindset to win the game
21:43and to do everything we can to qualify.
21:46I know obviously as I said we have got the two-goal lead
21:48and tomorrow for us it is a nil-nil game and you are just starting again.
21:51So we want to try and win the game tomorrow
21:53and hopefully it would be good if we could.
21:57All done? Thank you ever so much.
21:59Good, thank you guys. Cheers.