Unai Emery on PSG's strengths as Villa look for champions league upset
08/04/2025
uefa25
PSG - Aston Villa UCL quarter final first leg
08/04/2025
uefa25
PSG - Aston Villa UCL quarter final first leg
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SportsTranscript
00:00Okay, welcome everyone.
00:14Unai is going to take questions in English, French and Spanish, but we'll answer in English
00:20and Spanish only.
00:21I don't know if we're going to use a raise hand, so we'll try and get round as many
00:25as possible.
00:25Coach, good evening, Mourad Sefian for the source parisienne.
00:31You who have spent two years in Paris Saint-Germain, you have kept a strong attachment with the club.
00:36What are you waiting for next week, from the supporters?
00:43Can you repeat, please?
00:48Good evening, you hear me, it's good?
00:50Is it good?
00:51Yeah.
00:51You who have been two years in Paris Saint-Germain and are very, very close to the supporters
00:57of the club.
00:58What are you waiting for tomorrow night, from the supporters of this stadium?
01:05Good evening.
01:07I've spent here two years and always thankful.
01:10I learned, I had here experiences and everything I did before, of course, is in my back.
01:21I'm trying to transform for my moment now as a coach like I am.
01:28And feeling good, it's the first time I am again here, in Paris, and in Part The Princess.
01:36It is something special for me, special.
01:40And, of course, very proud of how I am coming back here, playing with Aston Villa in the Champions
01:47League and trying to enjoy this quarter of finals.
01:51Unai, ¿qué tal?
01:52Buenas tardes, Dani Hill, de la Cadena Cope.
01:54Luis Enrique dijo la temporada pasada que esta, sin MbappĂ©, serĂan mejor equipo, jugarĂan
01:59mejor.
01:59¿Estás de acuerdo?
02:00ÂżCrees que hasta ahora este PSG es mejor?
02:02Gracias.
02:03No he podido comparar el PSG a la temporada pasada a la de esta.
02:10Lo que he visto de este año, desde luego, están jugando un fútbol fantástico.
02:15Están, además de compitiendo, que eso siempre lo ha hecho Luis Enrique y sus equipos, están
02:21dominando con superioridad la Liga.
02:24Y en Champions League, han tenido diferentes momentos, pero desde luego, la eliminatoria
02:31contra el Liverpool fue una eliminatoria donde han demostrado un poderĂo enorme.
02:41Emiliano Martinez a une histoire, on va dire, contrariée avec les supporters français
02:50depuis la dernière Coupe du Monde.
02:51¿A qué tipo d'accueil vous attendez pour lui demain au Parc des Princes?
02:56Merci.
03:01Estamos jugando en Champions League, estamos jugando en diferentes competiciones,
03:03estamos jugando en clubes.
03:06Y, por supuesto, Emiliano Martinez es un jugador muy importante para nosotros.
03:12Es uno de los mejores jugadores del mundo, el mejor jugador del mundo.
03:17El jugador de este año, en ParĂs.
03:24Y el fĂştbol es para comprender a los supporters, para comprobar, comprobar, comprobar, comprobar,
03:32comprobar, comprobar, comprobar, comprobar, comprobar.
03:36as every supporter
03:37when we are playing
03:38against another team
03:39in the same country
03:40or in different countries.
03:41We have to try to
03:42understand always
03:44being respectful
03:45of our nationality
03:48and our identity
03:50defending our clubs,
03:52our countries.
03:53I think it's no more.
03:54I think it's football,
03:55only football.
03:56And tomorrow we are going
03:57to face Parisian
03:58and French teams
03:59playing football.
04:03The supporters
04:04are going to support them.
04:05Our supporters
04:06are going to support us
04:09and hopefully
04:11being respectful
04:13in everything.
04:15Bonsoir, Coach.
04:16Dunia Mesli pour ATS.
04:18Merci.
04:19Depuis votre arrivée
04:20Ă Aston Villa,
04:21l'équipe a montré
04:21de nets progrès
04:23dans son jeu.
04:25Comment vos joueurs
04:25se préparent-ils
04:26mentalement pour affronter
04:27un tel défi européen
04:28contre le PSG ?
04:30Et le PSG vous pousse-t-il
04:31Ă revoir votre approche
04:32tactique
04:33ou vous avez
04:33une stratégie spécifique
04:35Ă suivre demain ?
04:36Merci.
04:37Aston Villa
04:43is a historic club
04:44in the world
04:46and they won
04:47the World Cup
04:48in 1984.
04:5282, sorry.
04:54And of course,
04:55it's something
04:56very special
04:58in football.
05:00The recognition
05:00of Aston Villa
05:01is massive
05:02and when I arrived
05:04here,
05:05Aston Villa
05:06two years and a half ago,
05:08I knew,
05:10I knew
05:10this history.
05:12Of course,
05:14my challenge
05:15was in that moment
05:16to be contender
05:19for trophies,
05:20to play Europe again
05:22and in case
05:24like we are doing
05:25now to play
05:25Champions League
05:26was really amazing,
05:27amazing.
05:29To keep
05:29it consistent
05:30is my next
05:32challenges.
05:34To be
05:35playing in Paris
05:37this Champions League
05:38Carter final
05:39is something
05:40really special
05:42and amazing
05:45for everybody
05:46we are involved
05:47in Aston Villa.
05:49But something
05:50we want
05:51to be
05:53consistent
05:54in doing it
05:55or play
05:55in this level.
05:57And tomorrow
05:58we are facing
05:59PSG
06:00after they
06:01beat Liverpool.
06:02I think
06:04was the
06:05favourites
06:05before
06:05because
06:06they were
06:07doing
06:08the best
06:10way
06:10in this
06:11Champions League
06:11and they
06:12beat them
06:13playing
06:13fantastic football
06:14and deserving
06:15it.
06:16Now
06:16maybe
06:17with Real Madrid
06:18with Bayern Munich
06:19with Barcelona
06:21PSG
06:21they are
06:22favourites.
06:23And how
06:23we are facing
06:24them,
06:24how we are
06:25showing our
06:25capacity,
06:26our potential
06:27tomorrow,
06:28how we are
06:29responding
06:31in everything
06:32their demands
06:34to us
06:35tactically
06:36individually
06:37with the
06:37players they
06:37have.
06:38It's really
06:38a huge
06:40challenge
06:41for me,
06:42for the
06:43players.
06:43And we
06:45are feeling
06:46confident,
06:47we are
06:47feeling
06:48comfortable
06:49in this
06:50competition
06:50Champions League
06:51and tomorrow
06:52my objective
06:54is to
06:54compete,
06:56to have
06:58our
06:58opportunities
06:59and to
07:00enjoy the
07:00way we are
07:00doing.
07:01You spoke
07:04about
07:04players'
07:05pride in
07:06their club
07:07and in
07:07their
07:07nationality
07:08and
07:09Emi
07:09trained
07:10today
07:10with
07:10the
07:11flag of
07:12Argentina
07:12dyed
07:12into his
07:13hair
07:13and he
07:14wore a
07:14cap
07:15with
07:15a
07:15French
07:16cockerel
07:17and
07:17some
07:17Argentine
07:18trophies
07:19on it.
07:21He's
07:21obviously
07:22relaxed
07:22about
07:22taking
07:23the
07:23heat
07:24from
07:24the
07:24fans.
07:26Are
07:26you
07:26as
07:26relaxed
07:27with
07:27him
07:28or
07:28would
07:28you
07:28advise
07:28him
07:29against
07:30wearing
07:30any
07:31of that
07:31tomorrow?
07:32He's
07:33mature
07:34and
07:36he's
07:36responsible.
07:39He's
07:39getting
07:40better
07:40controlling
07:41his
07:41emotions.
07:43Really,
07:44you know
07:44him
07:44before me,
07:46not because
07:47I was
07:47working with
07:48him in
07:48Arsenal as
07:49well,
07:50but
07:50you know
07:52him before
07:53I arrived
07:53here in
07:55Aston Villa.
07:55five,
08:00six years ago
08:01and now
08:03he's
08:03different
08:03than
08:04Emiliano
08:04Martini.
08:05I think
08:05he's
08:06more
08:06mature,
08:07he's
08:07a better
08:11player,
08:12a better
08:13goalkeeper.
08:14And
08:14now
08:15my
08:16conversation
08:17with him
08:18is always
08:18the same.
08:19Now
08:19focus
08:20football,
08:21focus
08:22individual
08:23challenges
08:23you have
08:24and try
08:26to manage
08:27as well.
08:28Everything
08:28you are
08:29achieving
08:29in the
08:30level you
08:30are breaking
08:31highest,
08:33try to
08:33control
08:34with
08:35the
08:35emotion
08:35is
08:37bringing
08:37to you.
08:40Unai,
08:41good to
08:41see you.
08:42I just
08:42wanted to
08:42ask you,
08:43from a
08:43year ago
08:44when you're
08:44preparing
08:44for the
08:45semifinal
08:45against
08:46Olympiacos,
08:47for example,
08:48how happy
08:49are you
08:49with the
08:49squad you
08:50now have
08:51available,
08:52not just
08:52with the
08:52numbers,
08:53but the
08:54experience
08:54that you
08:55brought in
08:55in January
08:55with
08:56Asensio,
08:57with
08:57Rashford,
08:58Marlon
08:58as well
08:59with their
08:59European
09:00experience,
09:01especially
09:01for these
09:02kind of
09:02games.
09:03We are
09:05developing
09:05this
09:06season
09:07progressively
09:09getting
09:09better
09:09and taking
09:11some
09:11decisions
09:12in a key
09:12moment
09:12is very
09:13important.
09:14For example,
09:14in the
09:15transfer
09:15window,
09:18we did
09:18some
09:19very
09:21demanding
09:22change
09:23in our
09:23squad
09:23because
09:25as well
09:25we were
09:26involved
09:26in the
09:28Champions
09:29League,
09:29we were
09:30getting
09:32rounds
09:34forward
09:35and in
09:36Premier League
09:36as well
09:37we needed
09:37to get
09:39consistently
09:40better
09:41like we
09:41did.
09:42And of
09:42course,
09:43now we
09:44are recovering
09:44so in your
09:45players,
09:45we are as
09:46well with
09:46the players
09:46they have
09:47enough
09:49experiences
09:49succeeding
09:51in Europe
09:53like
09:53Asensio,
09:54like
09:54Rashford,
09:55like
09:55Marlon,
09:56he plays
09:57the final,
09:59but of
10:00course,
10:00you know
10:00he's not
10:01in the
10:02list,
10:02but the
10:04most important
10:05is how
10:05we are
10:06responding
10:06collectively.
10:07Of course,
10:08they are
10:09helping us
10:11and they
10:11are going
10:11to use
10:12their
10:13experiences
10:13as well
10:14to play
10:15against
10:15PSG
10:15those two
10:17legs,
10:18but the
10:18most important
10:18is how
10:19we are
10:19responding
10:20collectively,
10:21how we
10:21are individually
10:22helping the
10:23team
10:23and collectively
10:24feeling
10:25stronger
10:26and feeling
10:27confidence
10:28to play
10:29in the
10:29level
10:30we are
10:30facing
10:30tomorrow
10:31for example
10:32or even
10:33in
10:33Premier League
10:34the
10:34challenge
10:36we have
10:36to be
10:37increasing
10:40our demands
10:41to be
10:41in the
10:42top six,
10:43top five.
10:46Hi,
10:47you have been
10:47working now
10:48for a couple
10:49of months
10:49with
10:50Marcus
10:51Rashford
10:51is there
10:57anything
10:57that
10:58has
10:58surprised
10:59you
10:59about
11:00him
11:00during
11:01these
11:01weeks?
11:03Marcus
11:03Rashford
11:03is a
11:05good
11:05guy
11:06he is
11:06humble
11:08he is
11:10a very
11:10good
11:10professional
11:11player
11:12he is
11:14really
11:14happy
11:15with
11:16his
11:16teammates
11:17he is
11:18being
11:20demanding
11:21himself
11:21everything
11:22we want
11:23to work
11:23with him
11:24with the
11:25team
11:26and
11:28I think
11:29he is
11:29playing
11:30free
11:30he is
11:31playing
11:31as well
11:32comfortable
11:33and this
11:35is the most
11:35important
11:35try to
11:37connect
11:38with him
11:38as a
11:39person
11:39firstly
11:39and
11:41after
11:42it
11:42to
11:43connect
11:43with him
11:44as a
11:44player
11:44and
11:45his
11:46process
11:47here
11:47is
11:47getting
11:49better
11:49as well
11:50he is
11:51playing
11:51in
11:52two
11:53different
11:53positions
11:54he started
11:55as a
11:55winger
11:56now he is
11:56playing
11:57more as
11:57a striker
11:57how he
11:59can
11:59exploit
12:00his
12:00qualities
12:01as
12:01better
12:01as
12:01possible
12:02with
12:02us
12:02this
12:03is
12:03the
12:03process
12:04we
12:04have
12:05still
12:06work
12:06to
12:06do
12:07still
12:07process
12:07to
12:08do
12:08but
12:09the
12:10most
12:10important
12:10is
12:11his
12:11feeling
12:11we
12:12are
12:12seeing
12:14him
12:15smiling
12:16is
12:16the
12:17best
12:17new
12:18we
12:18can
12:18have
12:18and
12:19I
12:20am
12:20I
12:21am
12:21happy
12:22I
12:23am
12:23seeing
12:23him
12:23commitment
12:25with
12:26everything
12:26we
12:26are
12:26doing
12:27and
12:28now
12:28only
12:28is
12:28to watch
12:29him
12:29playing
12:30on the
12:30field
12:30I
12:32don't
12:33I
12:33don't
12:34know
12:35if
12:36you
12:36know
12:36you
12:37are
12:37the
12:37second
12:37coach
12:38with
12:38best
12:39percentage
12:39of
12:39victory
12:40in
12:40Champions
12:41and
12:41Europa
12:42League
12:42today
12:43Luis
12:43Enrique
12:43did
12:43that
12:43and
12:44you
12:44did
12:45that
12:46work
12:46in
12:46Europa
12:46I
12:47wanted to
12:47ask
12:47what
12:48do you
12:49different
12:49when
12:50you
12:50have
12:50a
12:50and why
12:52you
12:52have
12:52so
12:52good
12:53in
12:54torneos
12:54continentals
12:55I
12:58have
12:5916
12:59years
12:59consecutivos
13:01jugando
13:01Europa
13:01it's
13:02something
13:03that I've
13:05always had
13:05very
13:05present
13:06from
13:07the
13:07gratitude
13:08to the
13:08clubs
13:08that I've
13:09been
13:09and
13:10the
13:11responsibility
13:12I've
13:12taken
13:12to the
13:13maximum
13:13I try
13:14to
13:15have
13:17that
13:17responsibility
13:18to
13:19look at
13:19the club
13:19where I am
13:20to
13:22be able
13:22to
13:22get
13:23the best
13:23team
13:24from
13:25the
13:25players
13:25so
13:26tomorrow
13:29I have
13:29another
13:29challenge
13:30another
13:30challenge
13:31if we
13:32are
13:32able to
13:33face
13:34to
13:34a
13:34PSG
13:35at the
13:35level
13:35that
13:35is
13:36and
13:37be able to
13:37win
13:38Of course
13:39we will
13:40work
13:41everything
13:41as we can
13:42as we can
13:42as we
13:43as a
13:43collective
13:44as a
13:44individual
13:44to
13:46manage
13:46the
13:46moments
13:47and the
13:47emotions
13:48to
13:48enjoy
13:49it
13:49and
13:51this
13:52process
13:53is
13:54very competitive
13:56from
13:57that
13:57responsibility
13:58of
13:58prepare
13:58the
13:58best
13:59possible
13:59the
13:59games
13:59but
14:00lĂłgicamente
14:00the
14:01football
14:01is
14:02something
14:02very
14:02difficult
14:02and
14:04based
14:06on
14:07work
14:08that
14:08one
14:09does
14:09and
14:10if
14:10the
14:10players
14:11are
14:11able to
14:11exploit
14:12their
14:14qualities
14:15they
14:15help
14:16I am
14:17a
14:17coach
14:17I am
14:18always
14:18in
14:19hands
14:19of the
14:20clubs
14:20and
14:21of the
14:22players
14:22and I will
14:22try to
14:24apply
14:24my
14:24experience
14:25experience
14:26that I
14:27mentioned
14:28I have
14:29acquired
14:30in
14:30the
14:30PSG
14:30for two
14:30years
14:31I have
14:31two years
14:33to your left
14:35how can you take advantage of the absence of Marquinhos in this match
14:43because if it is to be Beraldo and Paco obviously very good young players but don't have the experience of Marquinhos so can you take advantage of the absence of one player
14:53I respect PSG every player they have Marquinhos I know Marquinhos I know him of course his career has been amazing here in PSG and he's very important player for them as a captain he's going to play the second leg but I think they have experienced players as well with Hernández
15:22Pacha is young but I think they are young but I think they are players learning so quick in this level and playing in this level because they are achieving it through their work with Luis Enrique and through their work here with PSG
15:42but of course Marquinhos is very important for them and I know him how he is as a player and how it is as a player for them but we are going to respect other players that are going to play tomorrow
15:49Good evening, my name is Przemysław Chlebicki and I am a journalist of TVP Sport from Poland and I have a question of Polish player Maty Cash why didn't he play in the last match in the Premier League?
15:56it's the first question and what's more I would like to ask you about his role in the team now and what's more I would like to ask you about his role in the team now
16:03did it change in last month and is he in a good shape in your opinion?
16:10it's very important for us, Maty Cash and I think he is a player in the last match in the Premier League?
16:15it's a great question and what's more I would like to ask you about his role in the team now
16:22did it change in the last month and is he in a good shape in your opinion?
16:25Did it change in the last months? And is he in a good shape in your opinion?
16:31It's very important for us, Matty Cash. He's been in Aston Villa for a long time.
16:37And you're asking me about the last match, the last match he didn't play because I decided for another player.
16:46And because as well, when we are playing out of matches in a row, he's sometimes been in risk to get injured.
16:55And he was getting injured before sometimes playing matches in a row.
17:01But I'm very happy with him and he has the potential to exploit more events than he did here.
17:11And we are demanding with him. He's as well a very good professional and he wants to improve and he wants to do everything we are working on.
17:21And hopefully he can play tomorrow, the first or second leg, in case he's playing his best football.
17:29Sorry, this is going to be the last question and I apologise, we've not managed to ground everyone.
17:37He's one of the best coaches in the world.
18:05And he showed it, but not only showed it in Barcelona, showed it in PSG, showed it in the national team in Spain.
18:13He showed it as well in Celta de Vigo in Barcelona under 21, he was a coach.
18:19And I faced him a lot of times.
18:21And I faced him a lot of times.
18:22And it's always difficult to, tactically, to defend then, to impose, to dominate our tactical idea.
18:32Because he's very demanding with how he's creating and building his team.
18:40They are, in the pressing, they are very good doing the press with the players they have.
18:50And as well, with the ball they are acting, they are keeping ball possession and being so, so aggressive and intense in each action they are doing in all the field.
19:02And tomorrow is a challenge, but it's a challenge like before.
19:06And it's a challenge because we want to compete and to be a world protagonist on the field.
19:15But it's not an individual challenge with him.
19:19I appreciate him a lot, I respect him a lot.
19:22I will be, tomorrow, grateful to see him.
19:29And as well, how he's always in football showing.
19:36And we can learn everything as well with other coaches.
19:39And he's a coach, always he's doing something you can bring in this structure tactically.
19:48And tomorrow I will enjoy playing football, playing two good teams in the Champions League.
19:58And of course, hopefully we can watch a very good match with very good players.
20:04And doing our best as well in Aston Villa with the players.
20:09Thanks, everybody.
20:10Good night.
20:11Thank you so much.