Ahead of Aston Villa’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at Villa Park, Unai Emery engaged with the media, providing insights into his perspectives, aspirations, and preparations for the team. Below are the consolidated remarks from his dialogue:
**Progress and Long-term Vision**
Unai Emery said, “Hopefully we will improve more and more. This is the objective. It has been two years since I arrived here. We are being very demanding and we were striving always to be better in each moment we have been working here. We achieved some objectives quickly, but there is still a lot of work to do. When we achieve the objectives we want, we have the target with the owners, coaches and myself every day to keep it. I am demanding with everybody. But, of course, we have to enjoy the way we are doing it. My demand is to play in Europe – this is the first objective. The second dream I have is to get a trophy. We are looking forward to continuing watching us improve. Football is today and is about facing objectives each day.”
**Player Remarks and Personal Philosophy**
Unai Emery said, “I appreciate the words of the players, but I don’t like a lot. Sometime you can have some words that can be positive for you, but other times they can speak badly about coaches. I don’t like good words. I don’t like bad words. I am always trying to be in balance. I am going to push him more even after his words! I will want more from the players and more from him. He is a very good man and a very good player. But he has to improve his start to this year, and of course, when he is super John McGinn, like in the stadium, we are happy. But not always. Every day he has to try and get it! It is football. We are winning now, but it could stop, hopefully not. My responsibility and my concern is to always work hard to get stronger. I want to get better as a coach and get more experiences here with the players. We want to keep it for a long time. My objective is to keep the level we are and keep the high standards we are more or less setting. This is the message to the players, to the club and for everybody.”
**Preparation for Matches**
Unai Emery said, “We enjoyed last year playing in the Europa Conference League. This year we started struggling a little bit, but getting better. Tomorrow, again, I am focusing the match with the players and hopefully the stadium and supporters will be helping us. We need them to transmit their energy so we can play in our structure as best as possible. The last matches we played after the Champions League, I thought we were a little tired and lacked intensity and focus. Tomorrow is the challenge to stay focused.”
**Team News and Supporter Connection**
Unai Emery said, “All the players are ready, only not Jaden. He is suspended. In football, the heart we feel is through the supporters. They are the most important in each club and each team because we play for them. For all their life they will feel something for Aston Villa. When I am at each team, playing or coaching, I feel my heart strongly there. Now it is here. To connect with the supporters is at Villa Park a lot and then they always travel away. My concern is to get them close with us and getting the same energy and the same happy moments to get our objective. Villa Park is something special. So, so special. To be with them and trying to win. I can’t forget we were 15 matches in a row winning here because they were supporting us and we felt really, really strong in Villa Park. Playing at home with 11 players and with 12 players with the supporters behind us.”
**Expectations for the Bournemouth Match**
Unai Emery said, “Very difficult. They are a very demanding team. At home and away they play with the same style. They are quick and have a strong structure. Their coach is progressing a lot. To beat them and get three points, it will be very difficult. We must be clinical in every decision we can have tomorrow and with the supporters with us.”
**Balancing Champions League and Premier League Matches**
Unai Emery said, “The Premier League is 38 matches. We are focusing and preparing more for Premier League matches than Champions League. I told you this before. We have faced those three matches keeping our capacity, performing like we are. But the Premier League is the most important because if we want to get into the Champions League again, usually this is through the Premier League. Every match is very difficult and we struggled in August, but were still winning because we were demanding. Tomorrow, if we want to keep the same position we are now, and that is important, we have to be at the level we are.”
**Quarter of the Season Reflection**
Unai Emery said, “We have to try and think to keep it, like something natural. The biggest teams and biggest players, they play to win and get it. It is when you feel like you are really being strong. Your mentality is even more when you have to try to demand with the players. We have some examples here, two years ago and last year. But the last example we had here was when he had some doubts about the mentality we want was when we played against Ipswich Town. I told the players about it. I don’t want to repeat it.”
