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Villa boss Emery, McGinn and Lindelof on PSG Super Cup match
11/08/2026
uefa26 super cup Aston Villa - PSG
11/08/2026
uefa26 super cup Aston Villa - PSG
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SportsTranscript
00:10Good evening everyone, welcome to the 2026 Super Cup here in Salzburg in Austria.
00:18Welcome to this press conference with Aston Villa.
00:20We're here with their head coach Una Emery, John McGinn, Victor Lindelof
00:25and the director of football Damien Vidagani.
00:29The languages that you will have available are English, French, Spanish and German.
00:35So please ask your question in one of those languages.
00:38And when you ask a question, please state your name and the name of your organisation.
00:42I hand over to you, Tommy.
00:45Thank you. So we'll just work around the room as much as we can.
00:48Please make sure that everybody at the top table gets some questions as well, if you don't mind.
00:53So if you like to raise hands, we'll go off and running.
00:56Then on you go.
01:00John, if I can.
01:02Your opposite number, Marquinhos earlier was saying about Lewis Enrique, about climbing Everest when he went in.
01:08A lot has happened, a lot of change in the summer.
01:11I just wonder, does it feel like you're kind of back to square one base camp or are you kind
01:15of resetting higher up?
01:16How do you see it? Because a lot has changed.
01:19Yeah, but a lot has changed in the eight years that I've been here.
01:23When we got promoted to the Premier League, there was a lot of change in the summer.
01:28When you're signing the best young English talent, there's going to be interest in them.
01:34When your players are performing at the highest level, there's going to be interest.
01:37So we've got a structure in place.
01:41We've got standards and rules which have made us successful over the past few seasons.
01:46And our job is just to integrate the new players and try and make them believe the same way the
01:51players in the last few seasons have believed.
01:54And we're really excited by the sort of new Aston Villa.
02:01Yosef.
02:06En español, puede ser.
02:09Enzo Oliveira para TNT Sports, México.
02:11Me gustarÃa preguntarle, muy cortito, muy rápido, enfrentar a Luis Enrique otra vez.
02:16Se han enfrentado varias veces en el tiempo reciente, una experiencia más contra él.
02:21¿Qué desafÃo tiene siempre enfrentar a este equipo que tiene un sello muy de él?
02:25Técnicos españoles, lo están haciendo fantástico a nivel mundial.
02:29Y muy cortito, el Diego MartÃnez, ¿dónde está?
02:32¿Va a seguir en el equipo?
02:34Muchos lo querÃan en esta final también. Gracias.
02:37Bueno, hablando de técnicos españoles, en este caso de...
02:41Buenas tardes.
02:42De Luis Enrique.
02:44Es difÃcil catalogar al mejor entrenador.
02:46Pero si hablamos de la Champions League y ganándola dos veces con su trayectoria, además, anterior.
02:57Pues ahora mismo, sabiendo el respeto que tengo por otros entrenadores que son muy buenos, también españoles, como puede ser
03:03Guardiola o Arteta.
03:04Creo que Luis Enrique es el mejor.
03:07Ahora mismo es el mejor.
03:08Entonces, enfrentarnos a él a nivel de equipo, a nivel de futbolistas y a nivel de entrenadores es un reto.
03:17Y es un reto y un test siempre.
03:20Entonces, a mà me gusta jugar contra los mejores.
03:22Y cuando jugamos contra los mejores, pues tratamos de encontrar la mejor respuesta nuestra.
03:27Y Emiliano MartÃnez está, esta semana, todavÃa finalizando sus vacaciones.
03:32¿Pero seguirá?
03:34En principio, sÃ.
03:35El señor en el t-shirt orange, por favor, en el frente.
03:38En el frente.
03:40Ego Rebner, Q Sport.
03:43Mi pregunta es a Anaya Emiri.
03:47Hace 14 años, empezaste tu carrera internacional.
03:50La carrera de Sparta en Moscú.
03:53No hemos sido muy exitosos ahÃ.
03:57Desde entonces, durante todos estos años, en qué áreas te cambiaste como persona, como entrenador?
04:06¿Qué te permitió tener mucho más suceso después de eso, ahora mismo en Birmingham y en general?
04:15¿Tienes que hacer muchos cambios en ti mismo para empezar a sentirse confortable trabajando en el extranjero?
04:25No sé si estás equivocada.
04:28No sé, porque quizás no entiendo exactamente la pregunta.
04:31No sé si estás equivocada.
04:33No sé si estás equivocada en Europa en 2008.
04:37En Valencia.
04:38¿Aprónde?
04:39Aprónde.
04:39Ok.
04:41Ok.
04:41Ok.
04:41Ok.
04:42Ok.
04:44Ok.
04:49Ok.
04:59Ok.
05:01Ok.
05:02Ok.
05:02Abroad in Moscow was my first experience away in different countries, different leagues.
05:09And, of course, it was something I learned a lot there, but I was not successful.
05:16I spent there six months.
05:19And after it, I tried to use again when I was leaving from Spain again after Seville to coaching in
05:29PSG,
05:29trying to use all my experiences to try to get better.
05:34In Paris, I spent two years.
05:36I was happy.
05:38We were very demanding.
05:40We achieved trophies.
05:41We didn't achieve in Champions League our objectives.
05:47And after it, Arsenal was another experience.
05:50Of course, as well, I was not feeling completely successful.
05:57But the year we spent there working, I think we did a good year, a good season.
06:05And then my next opportunity had to be here with Aston Villa.
06:12I tried again to use my old experiences, everything I learned to try to get better.
06:18And here we are, since I arrived here, four years more or less.
06:24And, of course, I am so, so happy how we are responding, how the players are responding,
06:28how the club, how the supporters, how we are building everything,
06:32how we are trying to develop, getting better, all the things we can have.
06:38Of course, everything at the end is on the pitch.
06:42And the result, the consequences after everything we are doing.
06:49And everything I learned with the players, we are here playing the Super Cup final
06:55because we have won the Europa League.
06:58And I am feeling comfortable, happy, very demanding, even more than the last years.
07:07Of course, the players as well, they followed us, everything we are trying to set in our standards,
07:14in our everyday and how we want to build our mentality.
07:20And this is the reason we are here.
07:22Of course, thankful for the players, for John, because he was at the beginning
07:26and he knows as well how we did the way.
07:30But we want more.
07:30We are not stopping here.
07:32And, of course, my English now, little by little, is getting better.
07:38And this is the next object as well.
07:41We'll go next to John from BBC Five Live
07:45and then we'll move across to Tom from the Daily Mail.
07:48John, can I ask you,
07:50what would you say about the expectations that Villa fans will have this season?
07:56Where should it lie?
08:00Similar to where it's been in the past few seasons,
08:03I think we've consistently competed with the best in England.
08:07I think we've consistently competed with the best in Europe,
08:10no matter what the competition is.
08:13It will have our challenges.
08:15There's a lot of change.
08:16But when you look at other clubs around England,
08:19there's a lot of change there as well.
08:21A lot of coaches changing, a lot of players changing.
08:24But what we have still is our main court.
08:27Same manager, same methods, same desire to achieve more.
08:33So a lot of people thought we had reached our ceiling a couple of seasons ago
08:37and we proved them wrong.
08:38We've still got the same hunger and desire to go and achieve more.
08:42And as long as we've got the hunger and desire to do that,
08:45the Aston Villa fans can expect as much as possible.
08:51Tom.
09:00Unai, throughout your time at Villa,
09:03when there's been challenging circumstances,
09:05you've usually just said,
09:07I accept it and we carry on working.
09:10Clearly, the UEFA financial rules have contributed to you
09:14having to sell three of your best players from last season,
09:18when usually a club can expect to try to build more
09:22after the success you've had.
09:24I'm sure you do accept whatever comes in your way,
09:27but do you think the time has come to maybe alter these rules
09:31so that they can give more of a chance to clubs like Villa
09:34to continue to build?
09:37Yes, of course, I'm accepting it.
09:39But I am so, so, so happy
09:41how the club is getting the commitment together with us
09:45and how we are getting better,
09:50keeping our consistency in the league,
09:53in Premier League,
09:54being in top five last year,
09:56top six,
09:57but two years,
09:59three years ago,
10:00and this year fourth,
10:02and how we finish as well
10:04the first year playing in Conference League,
10:05I think this is the objective we have,
10:08how we can,
10:10even with the circumstances we have,
10:12be inconsistent.
10:13And it's not changing,
10:14but the effort is doing,
10:17the club is really huge effort
10:20to try to be in the same direction
10:23like I am trying to be.
10:25And they are trying to extend now Villa Park
10:31to achieve 50,000 supporters next year.
10:35This is one step forward,
10:37the club as well trying to do.
10:39We are increasing our budget
10:42through good result on the pitch,
10:45through good result sometimes selling some players,
10:48and being consistent like we are,
10:50and as well expecting high level
10:56like we are more or less keeping it.
11:01And there as well,
11:02the supporters in the football world,
11:04the Premier League is the first league in the world,
11:08Aston Villa now,
11:09I think can have a better brand as well
11:13in the way we are.
11:15And of course,
11:16it's a huge responsibility for me,
11:20for the players.
11:22I am explaining then as well,
11:24sometimes during the season,
11:26in four years,
11:27I explain then it,
11:29about which objective we can have here.
11:33I have,
11:34or the players,
11:35or the club,
11:36and we must be everybody in the same page.
11:39And even with the changes,
11:42because you are making questions about the changes,
11:46in the coaches,
11:47players,
11:48but Magin,
11:50he's intelligent,
11:51and he responds,
11:53answers fantastic,
11:54because always he's here,
11:57since he arrived here,
11:59and every year,
12:00even when they were in championship,
12:01they became changes.
12:04and still,
12:06the club,
12:08going forward.
12:09And of course,
12:10if we are comparing,
12:11with other teams,
12:12like Manchester City,
12:14or Chelsea,
12:15or Manchester United,
12:16or Liverpool,
12:17or Arsenal,
12:18okay,
12:19we are competing with them,
12:21but we don't have their power,
12:23yet.
12:24But progressively,
12:25we are doing our way.
12:27And one thing,
12:28I appreciate a lot,
12:29is,
12:30to be happy,
12:31the way we are doing.
12:32And don't compare,
12:34with another team,
12:35another club,
12:36because someone,
12:36they are over us,
12:37and then they are under us.
12:39And keep going,
12:40keep being resilient,
12:43in the bad moment,
12:44like we showed last year,
12:46and we achieved,
12:47at the end,
12:48the objective,
12:49after very difficult season,
12:51and in August,
12:52was very difficult moment,
12:54we had.
12:55and now,
12:56we are,
12:59doing changes.
13:00Yes,
13:01but we are working well.
13:02And I am,
13:04I am happy,
13:04how we are responding,
13:06how we are as well,
13:07trying to build a team.
13:08Of course,
13:08tomorrow,
13:09is not the,
13:09we are not going to be,
13:10on the pitch,
13:12our best moment,
13:13but as well,
13:14for PSG,
13:14because I played three times,
13:16the Super Cup,
13:17and more or less,
13:18all the matches we played,
13:19Super Cup,
13:20Super Cup in August,
13:21is more or less,
13:22similar.
13:23And tomorrow,
13:23we are going to compete,
13:25we are going to compete,
13:26we are,
13:26they are not here,
13:28Konza,
13:29Watkins,
13:30and Emiliano Martinez,
13:31because they,
13:32they finished the,
13:33the season,
13:3419 of,
13:36of July,
13:38and I,
13:39gave them,
13:40four weeks,
13:41to rest,
13:41and it's,
13:42completely necessary,
13:43they are not tomorrow here,
13:44of course,
13:44if they,
13:45they were here,
13:46of course,
13:47maybe we can have,
13:48maybe more chances,
13:49but,
13:50at the same time,
13:52I think,
13:52PSG,
13:53they are going to be,
13:53in the,
13:54in the same situation,
13:55like us,
13:56but tomorrow,
13:57we are preparing,
13:58this game,
13:58we are preparing,
13:59this game,
14:00with the players,
14:00we started,
14:01even some young players,
14:03four weeks ago,
14:04and tomorrow,
14:05I expect,
14:06to compete,
14:07and to try,
14:08to face them,
14:09with our,
14:10our capacity,
14:11and our possibilities,
14:12as well,
14:12to,
14:12to beat them,
14:13of course,
14:14they are favorite,
14:14they are favorite.
14:16Okay,
14:17the next two questions,
14:18should be directed,
14:19towards Victor,
14:20Victor,
14:21so,
14:21please raise your hand,
14:23if you want to ask Victor,
14:24a question,
14:24and he'll come to you,
14:25there we are here,
14:27we'll do two here,
14:28side by side.
14:28Can you ask John as well?
14:29I mean,
14:30No,
14:30no,
14:30we'll go Victor,
14:31just Victor.
14:31Victor,
14:32please.
14:32Okay,
14:32thank you.
14:33Hi,
14:33Victor,
14:34it's Boris from Antenna 5,
14:36you're going to have another,
14:38demanding season,
14:39starting with the Premier League,
14:41and tomorrow,
14:42of course,
14:43you'll be playing in the Champions League,
14:45you'll be fighting in the Premier League,
14:46can you explain to us,
14:48the difference,
14:49you know,
14:49playing in Europe makes,
14:50especially now,
14:51that the season is so long,
14:53and then you're playing so many games,
14:54in the Champions League.
14:56Yeah,
14:57it's always going to be,
14:58a challenging season,
15:00when you play in Europe,
15:00but I mean,
15:02that's what we want to do,
15:03we want to compete at,
15:05you know,
15:05the highest level,
15:06and that means playing in,
15:07in all competitions,
15:08and especially in Europe,
15:09so,
15:10I mean,
15:10I'm looking forward to it,
15:11but of course,
15:12you need a good squad as well,
15:14who's,
15:14you know,
15:16available and ready to,
15:17to perform when,
15:18yeah,
15:19when you have games,
15:19because like you said,
15:20it's going to be many,
15:22many games during the season,
15:23but,
15:24yeah,
15:24I think the squad is ready for,
15:26ready for that,
15:26and I'm looking forward to it as well.
15:33Hello,
15:34Irak Lime Dadzai,
15:35Setan Daspor, Georgia,
15:36the question to Victor,
15:38for sure,
15:38it's quite fair.
15:40Victor,
15:42to talk about the opposition,
15:44their main strength is teamwork,
15:46but can you name someone,
15:49who do you think,
15:50is the biggest threat,
15:53from the opposition side,
15:54from the attack,
15:55or not from the midfield?
15:58What do you mean,
15:58from the players they have?
16:00Well,
16:01I think it's difficult to name just,
16:02just one player from,
16:04from their squad,
16:05I think they have,
16:06world-class players in,
16:07in every position,
16:08so it's difficult for me to sit here,
16:10and pick just,
16:10just one player.
16:14My friend,
16:14they have a lot,
16:15a lot of good players,
16:16so it's,
16:16I don't think it's fair to me,
16:17to sit here and name just one,
16:19like I said,
16:19they have a lot of good players.
16:22On you go to the front,
16:23just wait the mic.
16:30Good evening,
16:31good afternoon,
16:32my name is Radek Sedlmayr,
16:33I'm from Czechia.
16:34I have a question for John.
16:36You've played like two years ago,
16:39against PSG,
16:39or yeah,
16:40or one year ago,
16:42something like that.
16:42It was a quarter-finals,
16:44Champions League,
16:45you scored a goal.
16:46So my question is basic,
16:48how much did the team changed,
16:50from the year back to now,
16:54like the Aston Villa?
16:56Yeah,
16:57we've changed a lot,
16:59personnel-wise,
17:01mentality-wise,
17:02I think that game,
17:03allowed us to grow,
17:04we competed against,
17:06the winners of the tournament,
17:08and gave them their toughest two legs,
17:10over the competition.
17:13We performed at a very,
17:14very high standard,
17:15which is what is required,
17:17to beat Paris Saint-Germain,
17:19and tomorrow night,
17:19will be no different,
17:21if we want to win the match,
17:22we'll have to play at our best,
17:24and make sure,
17:25they suffer the same way,
17:27they did that night at Villa Park.
17:32Okay,
17:32we're going to finish,
17:33with two questions,
17:33for the manager,
17:34we're going to go Nick,
17:35and then the far side,
17:36so,
17:37first one here.
17:41Uno,
17:42hi,
17:43as you mentioned,
17:44you've been in the Super Cup,
17:45a few times,
17:45three times,
17:46you haven't managed to win it yet,
17:48just wondered,
17:49if you can give us,
17:50sort of,
17:51your memories from your previous finals,
17:52and whether,
17:53as sort of the manager you are,
17:55whether it frustrates you,
17:57that you haven't won it yet.
17:59He was reminding me,
18:00last week,
18:01I watched you much,
18:02when you played against Chelsea,
18:03with Villarreal,
18:04he was watching the highlights,
18:07we lost in penalty shoot.
18:10Of course,
18:11it's an opportunity,
18:12always a trophy,
18:12something,
18:14can give us,
18:15a special moment,
18:16and to play for trophies,
18:18as a professional,
18:20is our objective,
18:21then,
18:22if we are winning,
18:22of course,
18:22we are happy,
18:23if we are not winning,
18:24we are not happy,
18:24but,
18:25playing against,
18:26the best team now,
18:27is PSG,
18:29of course,
18:30they are favorite,
18:30but,
18:31I am looking forward,
18:33to play tomorrow,
18:34how we can,
18:34how we can,
18:36test this match,
18:37against them,
18:38with our capacity,
18:39and with,
18:40the moment we are now,
18:41with the player we have now,
18:43and,
18:44we are doing,
18:45a good precision,
18:46we are testing,
18:47and we are,
18:48doing practice,
18:50trying to,
18:51to improve things,
18:52for tomorrow,
18:53of course,
18:53and then,
18:54the most important,
18:55is the season,
18:56but tomorrow,
18:56we are going to play,
18:57one match,
18:58very important,
18:58for our career as well,
18:59as a coach,
19:00as a player,
19:01as a club,
19:02it's a trophy,
19:03and,
19:03it's,
19:05one thing,
19:06make us proud,
19:08of how we are,
19:09and how we,
19:10arrive here,
19:11and,
19:11why,
19:12we,
19:13can have tomorrow,
19:14a huge motivation,
19:15to get our best,
19:176,000 supporters,
19:18from Birmingham,
19:19and tomorrow,
19:20give us,
19:21the responsibility as well,
19:22to try to,
19:23to play for them,
19:25and,
19:26last question,
19:26over here,
19:27please,
19:28good.
19:28Good afternoon,
19:29Unay,
19:30Artur Teixeira,
19:31of Sport TV Portugal,
19:32I will try to speak,
19:33in Spanish,
19:34the game of tomorrow,
19:36is very important,
19:37for Aston Villa,
19:38but,
19:39let me,
19:39let me,
19:40talk about,
19:40also,
19:40of the market,
19:41in the last days,
19:42we have talked,
19:43of João Palinha,
19:44as interested,
19:46Aston Villa,
19:47in Portuguese,
19:49what do you think,
19:50this name,
19:51what do you think,
19:52João Palinha,
19:53would be a good addition,
19:54for Aston Villa?
19:57Hombre,
19:58it's difficult,
19:59focalize,
20:01focalize,
20:01a part,
20:02if we think,
20:03of the players,
20:03who can come,
20:04because,
20:04of course,
20:05they will come,
20:08and even,
20:09at the end of the market,
20:10we are a club,
20:11that can come,
20:12players,
20:13so,
20:13I don't want to talk,
20:14of footballists,
20:15so,
20:16if you ask,
20:16of Palinha,
20:17well,
20:17obviously,
20:17we all know,
20:18in the world of football,
20:21and it's a player,
20:22that will have a lot of players,
20:25that will have a lot of players,
20:27but we are going to focus on the game tomorrow,
20:31and I think,
20:32I think,
20:34that the reason is,
20:35that the reason is quite important,
20:36and I don't want to talk,
20:39about the players that can still be in the market,
20:43either to go out,
20:43or to go out.
20:46Thank you everyone,
20:48that's our place,
20:49thanks,
20:49thank you.
20:51Cheers.
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