On the eve of Aston Villa's upcoming Champions League first-round match against Swiss rivals Young Boys Bern, the team's manager Unai Emery attended the pre-match conference and gave an insight into topics such as preparation for the game, the team's goals and the players' form.
Talking about race preparation and expectations
Emery began by expressing his excitement about the team's return to the Champions League: "It's a very special moment for Aston Villa, and all of us are thrilled to be back in the Champions League after so many years. We know it's a real challenge, we gained valuable experience last year through our UEFA Europa League campaign, but the Champions League is definitely a whole new level. We will give it our all, enjoy every game and cherish every moment."
He emphasized the importance of remaining competitive and adaptable: "Against every opponent, whether it's the youngsters from Bern tomorrow or Bayern Munich later on, we have to be as competitive as we are in the Premier League. We know it's tough enough to be competitive in the Premier League, but the Champions League also brings together the best teams in world football. We need to make the most of the coaching staff's wealth of experience while combining the players' individual abilities and team spirit to meet every challenge."
Talking about Champions League goals
When asked about specific goals for the Champions League, Emery appeared both cautious and ambitious: "It's really hard to say yet about how far we can go. But what I can say clearly is that we won't reject any goals that we might achieve in the Champions League. Our priority for tomorrow's game is to get the players comfortable on the pitch and to further improve our technical and tactical skills and our individual abilities through real matches. We want to build on our good start in the Premier League and continue to improve, both on a tactical level and in terms of individual performances. At the same time, we need to learn to adapt to the playing styles of different opponents and stick to our style, philosophy and game plan."
Talking about Leon Bailey
On the status of the team's striker Leon Bailey, Emery revealed positive information: "He is now back in the squad list and is training at the stadium. We hope he will be in good physical and mental shape. Tomorrow we will decide whether to play him or whether to enter the starting lineup based on his training and preparation for the game. But, in any case, his return is good news for the team."
