Yahoo News Unai Emery explains plan to stop Harry Kane and reveals what he's told his players before Bayern clash
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery spoke to the media at Bodymoor Heath ahead of his side's Champions League league phase clash against Bayern Munich.
Villa won their first Champions League match 3-0 against BSC Young Boys in Bern and are targeting a positive result against the German giants on Wednesday night (8pm). Here's every word Emery said in his pre-match press conference...
What will your message to your players be ahead of this huge game?
"My idea is to try to get something natural. Hopefully we can play more time in the Champions League but this is the first match after a long time in the Champions League for the club [at home]. We are motivated and so excited to play tomorrow with our supporters at Villa Park in this scenario.
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"Remembering as well the final against them 42 years ago. But now, at this moment in our process, we have to try and play one match more. Of course, it is against one of the best teams in the world and maybe a favourite with three or four more teams to win the competition.
"I want to play matches like this and consistently matches like this. In the Premier League we are facing other [Champions League] favourites like Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal. They can win the competition this year like Bayern Munich.
"Playing in Europe, we are very happy to face Bayern Munich at home and hopefully we can enjoy tomorrow and hopefully compete to show our best tomorrow against them."
How much of a blow is it to be without McGinn?
"For the injured players, it is the worst for them - every player wants to play in the Champions League. I want the best players on the field tomorrow and I want to play against the best players. We have to accept we have some players injured."
How important was it to have a deeper squad?
"In the beginning we are trying to follow the [financial] rules in the summer and we are starting to add two players more like Kamara and Tyrone Mings. With the players we have in the squad, I am very happy. Hopefully we play many more matches.
"It depends on each match, how we are getting the balance playing with players who are maybe tired. We are building a team with the players we have and some players, they are progressively feeling comfortable and understanding our ideas and demands. Every player will have opportunities to play and get moments to play."
How important is the experience you have in the team?
"We have players with experiences in Europe and one of them [Ian Maatsen] played in the final last year with Dortmund. Pau Torres, he played the semi-final against Liverpool in this competition too.
"The experiences we can add and try to learn quickly in Europe, it is a process and some of them will debut tomorrow in the Champions League. It is good news for them and for me too.
"Playing in Europe for 16 years, for me it is not changing my idea. My idea is to compete and enjoy in the Champions League. We need to focus to get a good way there and to focus in the season.
"Tomorrow we are playing a special, special match for everybody, but I am preparing the game the same like I did against Ipswich."
Is there any pressure that Aston Villa don’t tend to lose to Bayern Munich…
"If Aston Villa was not playing since 1982 against Bayern Munich then it is not good news. It is very bad news. We are speaking here, very motivated because we are coming back into the Champions League. Aston Villa was last playing against Bayern Munich over 40 years ago. It is very bad.
"Europe is something important but also very, very difficult. This is the challenge we have now. Tomorrow they are favourites, but we are playing at home with our supporters. I played two times against them and we competed against them. Tomorrow I want to play and compete against them and face them being competitive tomorrow."
What does this occasion mean to you?
"It is a challenge for myself and I told yesterday to the players after the match we played on Sunday and between the match we are going to play against Manchester United, we are playing in England against the best teams in the world and we are showing our capacity. Now we are going to play against one of the best teams in Europe as well. My expectation is to compete, facing them being competitive and really getting our best performances and like that how we can be with a possibility to get a good result."
There has been lots of focus on Diego Carlos, what have you said to him?
"In football there can be mistakes. We have to accept it. Starting with me. Every match I am trying to be humble to identify my mistakes. Then, it is my responsibility to correct those mistakes after the matches. Try to correct it quickly and don’t repeat it. With the players it is the same.
"I am trying to identify overall the mistakes we are getting in each match and deeply when some mistakes are coming from individual players. But I never punish mistakes that players make for the next matches. I am trying to correct it through video and working with the players on the pitch.
"We worked yesterday morning and of course I want to try to correct by practising and hopefully tomorrow on the field."
What do you make of Vincent Kompany’s start in management?
"Vincent Kompany, I knew him last year with Burnley. His career is really recognised as a player in football. As a coach he started two or three years ago. He worked with Man City with Guardiola and he is being successful so quickly.
"I think everything I have watched of him, Burnley and now Bayern, is really a huge work. I think he is a coach who will have a really good future and he is starting being successful. I respect him a lot because even the games we won against Burnley, they were difficult. At Bayern, with the players they have, for him it is easier to get the level they will want to have in their league. Tomorrow I know it will be a big challenge for us to stop them. We have to adapt to their tactical ideas and to avoid what they will try and impose on us."
What is the team news?
"Matty is starting training with us, but tomorrow there is no time to get him to play one minute. He is not available tomorrow. Kamara and Tyrone Mings remain out. The other players are OK. We worked yesterday and then later today. Hopefully everyone else will be available."
Are you concerned about a lack of clean sheets?
"We are not defending like last year. It’s not for the defenders, the goalkeeper, it’s for everyone. The first defenders are the strikers and the first attacking player is the goalkeeper. We have to work to improve because we cannot concede the goals we are conceding each match we are playing. I am positive and I believe in our work but if we want to keep at the top level, we are scoring goals, but we are conceding more goals than normal."
How do you stop Kane?
"We analyse the tactical areas collectively and then you have to stop the players. He knows us and we know him but his capacity and potential will be on the pitch. They have two strong centre-backs, good midfielders, good wingers and we have to stop them collectively and individually, there will be a lot of duels. We have to be alert and focused."
What did you make of their performance against Leverkusen?
"They are playing very well. I watched the match. We have different players, a different style and we want to try to adapt. I am using some clips to show the players of the last matches they played and one of them was Bayer Leverkusen."
