00:10Good evening everyone, we will operate with a raised hand process so if you want to ask
00:18a question raise your hand and we'll come round as many as possible.
00:33Many of your players have been away playing for their countries, I wonder whether as you
00:39go into this final period of the season just a change of scenery for the players will help
00:45them come back fresh for you?
00:55Good evening, of course this break was longer than normally, we were two weeks not playing,
01:07but some players playing with the national team is really good because they are keeping
01:14their rhythm and they rested as well more than normal some days and I think they needed it
01:22and another place we were working, we were resting, working and we tried to get balance,
01:29don't lose our mental process we were building and now we are ready, we are ready and we are
01:40so motivated and excited and of course the players after their matches with their countries, they
01:48are here and they are here as well, quick changing and being different completely how we are and how
02:00we are focusing the season and how we were finishing before the last break, more recovering some players
02:10players like Joe McKean, like Joey Tilleman and of course adding more options to play and to get the level
02:23we
02:23must have to continue being really in good balance for the season in Premier League and in Europe League.
02:39Does it make a difference that you have played Bologna twice in the last 18 months?
02:47Bologna, we played two times.
02:49Yes, we played this season and last.
02:51Yes, yes, and with the same coach, Vincenzo Italiano and those two matches played in Villa Park.
03:06How we knew Bologna now is the same, how we played more or less tomorrow the same style, so so
03:20clear, so so intense and aggressive tactical idea collectively getting a lot of duels.
03:31Yes, yes.
03:33Yes.
03:33And we used it as well, our information playing against them, trying to understand how we will
03:43come tomorrow the match.
03:46And respecting firstly the Europa League competition and respecting as well Bologna and Satine, I know and we are speaking
03:58in the dressing room how much the difficulty is going to be this round for different reasons.
04:05But the first thing we can be remarkable is they beat Rome and they are competing with this coach and
04:22this coach.
04:23He played three finals the last three years, he is very competitive in the knockout rounds.
04:34In Europe conference league with Fiorentina, two finals in a row, losing but playing two finals against the Western and
04:41against Fiorentina and last year the final, the cup in Italy and they won.
04:48So this is the argument we must expect them a lot.
04:56Evening Unai, Matty Cash mentioned about Bologna's man-to-man press, what difficulties could that entail for you and how
05:04could you plan to navigate that?
05:06In Italy there are a lot of teams and we played before with Espais against Bologna and as well we
05:13played before in Spain against Atalanta, playing so so clear and so consistent, getting a lot of dwells individually, without
05:25the ball and with the ball.
05:27So they are team, they want to play always getting a lot of dwells.
05:33And to impose our positioning, our tactical structure tomorrow is not going to be easy.
05:39It's going to be difficult and we must adapt.
05:41This is to compete, to compete is to adapt to them, to adapt to the opponent, how they are going
05:46to demand us.
05:47And we are working a lot and of course remembering with the players how we played against them and showing
05:55as well.
05:57Movies about us and about them and practicing in the training session through it tactically.
06:07And tomorrow is going to be a very great challenge for us and for the players and for me as
06:15a coach how we can play 90 minutes and how we can play another 90 minutes in case I start
06:21penalties against Bologna.
06:23We are performing very well and in England there are some teams in the Premier League playing with this style
06:32and this style is now growing up a lot.
06:36The development with the teams playing man to man is increasing because the teams playing like that they are performing
06:46fantastic.
06:46In Italy I think Atalanta was the first team and of course there are other teams playing like that and
06:52one of them is Bologna.
06:54And in England there are some teams playing like that or we can identify as well one team like Bayern
07:00Munich in the highest level playing like that.
07:03Of course we have our own style and of course our structure and we are trying as well through it
07:10to feel comfortable and to feel strong.
07:12And tomorrow is a really great test for us how we can play, how we can feel playing against them.
07:19And of course we must have that of them playing a lot of times getting worse and we must as
07:25well to try to dominate and to try to impose our positioning with the ball or without the ball.
07:31Defending, feeling comfortable and on offensively as well. Showing our capacity, our abilities and our skills.
07:38What's the latest on Jadon Sancho? Is there a timeframe for his recovery?
07:45Sancho is not going to be for a long time but he's still been out and hopefully in a few
07:54days or maybe one or two weeks he's coming back but he's progressing well.
08:00But of course he's not available for tomorrow.
08:07Anyone else for the question?
08:10Go ahead.
08:12Buonasera.
08:13Cos'hanno in comune...
08:20I want to try to understand.
08:22Ok, ok.
08:23But I want to try.
08:25Yes.
08:26Cos'hanno in comune questo Aston Villa?
08:29I want to understand.
08:41I don't understand.
09:11I'm getting to the elite.
09:16Okay, of course, Aston Villa history is a massive history in a lot of things.
09:21And one remarkable moment was when they won, or Aston Villa won the World Cup.
09:30Now the Champions League is the name.
09:32And it's something that makes us as well responsible and as well feeling we are in a club.
09:43He was successful in Europe through this competition.
09:49And individually, myself as well, in Europe, I am feeling comfortable during the years.
09:56And of course, thankful for the things I was coaching with the possibility to win this title in Europe League
10:04or playing in different competition, Champions League and Conference League.
10:06But each moment is different and each moment is the new challenge.
10:11Everything we did before is done.
10:14And to do again is the challenge we have.
10:16And of course, my everyday with the players, with Aston Villa Club,
10:23is trying to build something for the history as well.
10:27But something to build now.
10:29And to win in Europe is very, very difficult.
10:34And first of all, respect this competition.
10:38Because if you are not respecting the competition,
10:40you are thinking or not focusing 100% or not playing, getting your best,
10:49you are close to be out.
10:51And I have a lot of experiences with these situations.
10:57And Bologna is a winner.
11:01It's a winner team.
11:02It's a team.
11:03The last years, before even with Vicenzo Italiano, with Tiago Mota,
11:07they were performing fantastic and they were playing fantastic.
11:10And they are winning final like last year or playing finals with Vicenzo Italiano.
11:17And I have respect and I have as well knowledge about the difficulties.
11:28And this round for us is a huge challenge.
11:32And one example is how they beat Rome and they beat because they deserve to beat Rome.
11:41And we are ready and we are sending the message inside.
11:46And, of course, we are not going to fill this round like something we can be favored over then.
12:00Because the favorite after the round against Rome is 50-50.
12:11Hi, Italian press, but I will try in English.
12:15We said that Aston Villa and Bologna played two times and that two times was in Birmingham.
12:22Which can be the difference to play here in Dallara?
12:27Yeah, you trained a lot of squad that played here in Italy, not Aston Villa.
12:32Aston Villa in Italy last time was in 1994, so a lot of times ago.
12:40The atmosphere of the Italian stadiums can be an important role for this qualification round.
12:50Yes, yes, 100%.
12:51Tomorrow is going to be different because playing in Villa part,
12:54they are not playing with their supporters.
12:56Of course, some supporters, they tablet there,
12:59but we were more in Villa part with our supporters.
13:02And always the supporters are very important.
13:04How they are creating a great atmosphere here, for example,
13:08is going to be fantastic for them.
13:10We will have our supporters as well traveling to be here with us,
13:13but they are more than us.
13:18And tactical isn't going to change a lot
13:20because they are playing the same tactical idea,
13:22they are playing at home, playing away,
13:24even the result are similar, playing at home and away.
13:29But for us, it's going to be very difficult.
13:31And every experience we are having in Europe,
13:36playing away, our experiences is playing away,
13:39very difficult, more difficult than playing at home.
13:43And tomorrow we are ready, we are focused,
13:46we are trying to set our game plan strongly,
13:52and we are trying to continue in our build in everything,
13:57individually and collectively.
13:59Tomorrow we'll want to show it,
14:02hopefully, being comfortable playing,
14:08but we are going to have tomorrow a lot of momentum.
14:15We will need to be sure,
14:19resilience when they are pushing us,
14:23they are getting wet,
14:23or they are trying to play intensely in everything,
14:29with the ball or without the ball,
14:30to try to stop us.
14:31This is the match I expect today, for tomorrow.
14:36And of course, with the atmosphere as well,
14:39we must be ready to play,
14:42trying to hear our supporters here following us.
14:50Thank you, everyone.
14:51Good night.
14:52Okay, thank you.
14:52See you tomorrow.
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