Aston Villa manager Unai Emery addressed the media ahead of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest at Villa Park, scheduled for a 20:00 BST kick-off.
Here are some highlights from his press conference:
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Emery revealed that Amadou Onana missed training due to a calf injury sustained in last week’s first leg, and will “obviously not” be available for the return leg. However, he expressed confidence that Villa has sufficient midfield depth to “still deliver a solid performance.”
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After missing the match against Tottenham on Sunday due to hamstring tightness, John McGinn has “trained normally” and is expected to be fit for the match.
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When asked if the rotation of players in the last three matches contributed to their losses, Emery acknowledged, “Yes, but we had injuries and needed to rest some players to avoid further injuries.”
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He added, “Finding the right balance is crucial for attaining good performances. Sometimes we succeed, but at times we don’t—that’s the nature of football.”
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Emery expressed his excitement about the prospect of reaching the Europa League final, commenting, “It’s truly fantastic, especially considering we didn’t win any of our first six matches this season.”
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He stated, “I am 100% excited and motivated. When I joined three-and-a-half years ago, it was a dream to play in a Europa League semi-final.”
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On the players’ past experiences in semi-finals, he remarked, “Yes, they’ve learned something, but this is the first time we’re playing like this at home. In the Conference League semi-final two years ago, we had one leg at home and one away. Last year, we reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League and only played one FA Cup semi-final match in London.”
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Emery noted that Nottingham Forest goes into the match as “the favorites,” but he is hopeful that the Villa Park fans will create an electric atmosphere.
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He added, “I am going to enjoy this experience. In fact, I’m finding it enjoyable right now. I’d rather be here speaking with you than at home.”
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Emery emphasized that not reaching the Europa League final wouldn’t be a failure, stating, “Reaching a semi-final is already a significant achievement. Winning a trophy is a tough challenge. It isn’t a downfall if we don’t clinch the trophy. Our goal is to continually improve and seize opportunities, both now and in the future. There’s only one winner in football, after all.”
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He believes that this current squad will have more chances to win major trophies, as they continue to set challenges for both the present and the future, and they can be proud of their collective accomplishments over the past three years.
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[BBC]