- 1 week ago
Emery and Kamara on Villa v Viking
20/10/2026
uefa26 champions league
20/10/2026
uefa26 champions league
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00We're here for this afternoon's press conference with the Unai in Buba at the top desk, so we'll all be
00:07raised hand if you have a question and you raise your hand.
00:09We will work around the room as best we can. We'll start with Az, please.
00:17Afternoon.
00:18Could you start off by giving us an injury update regarding your left-backs and who potentially may end up
00:25playing there tomorrow night, please?
00:28Good afternoon. We are accepting all the injuries we had before, so many players we had injured in our process
00:44here, and now we're still having someone like Onana, a long time, like Mateo, more or less.
00:57In two months, he's coming back, joining us, Ian Matzen. He joined us and he's training with us this week.
01:13Manzami is with a small injury. He's going to be not available for tomorrow, all out, and Aaron, he has
01:31an injury as well. More or less, we expect three or four weeks.
01:37So, we have enough players. It's not excuses. Tomorrow, we'll find a solution in case we need to get our
01:56performance collectively and individually in each position.
02:03While you were recording your biggest ever European win last week, at the same time, Viking were drawing 3-3
02:11with Bayern Munich.
02:13So, having studied them, what would you say will be their main threats tomorrow night?
02:18I'm not sure how much. Champions League, every team has played Champions League in the air because they deserve it
02:24and they are dangerous and they have their collective and individual issues or characteristic as a team.
02:34and Vikings, they draw against Bayern Munich last week. They lost against Stuttgart. They
02:43are with Bodo Glynn in the league first and second with the same points. Bodo Glynn
02:51is a team successful the last year in Europe, performing well, getting good results, playing
02:58in the Champions League, beating important teams. So Bikina is a new team as well with the
03:07capacity to draw against Bayern Munich, the capacity as well to compete against Stuttgart
03:13and to compete against us tomorrow. This is the Champions League and the Champions League
03:17is very difficult. In the Champions League we have now six points, it's something amazing
03:22but very difficult and to keep the same way we are is our challenge. And it is not only
03:29the Champions League because the Europa League is very difficult and the Confident League
03:33is very difficult. Europe is always very difficult. This is the first respect. The first respect
03:38is speaking, we are in the Champions League and each team is of course very, very respectful
03:46for us.
03:50So after several months being out injured, on a personal level, how do you think it is
03:56going for you? Now do you think you are finding your rhythm again?
04:01Good morning. After this long injury, I feel good. I need time to recover my fitness and the
04:13every day of the training and the game. So now I feel better. My recovery is better after the game.
04:20So I'm happy.
04:24Bubu, you got used to playing so many games with Uri Tillemans. Tell me about the relationship
04:29that you're building with Joao Gomez and how your role is different, if at all.
04:35Not really because every midfielder we have knows how the manager wants to play. So with Uri and Joao
04:47it's really the same. But we need time to get better and know each other better. But with every midfielder,
04:57it's the same in this team.
05:00Good night. Emi Buendia has been such a big player for you, scored obviously in the Europa League final last
05:06year. How close is he to signing a new contract with the club?
05:13I am so happy with him. I think today is not the day to answer this question. But of course
05:23I am so happy with him.
05:24But today we are going to speak about the extension of the contract with Emiliano Buendia of another players. Why
05:30is this question?
05:31Well, because it's been reported a little bit in the papers, so obviously you're happy, therefore you would want him
05:37to stay at least.
05:40Tomorrow. I expect tomorrow we'll play a fantastic game.
05:45Tell me about Boubacar then. As a manager, when a player who is so important to you has so long
05:51out, do you have to be patient that when he first comes back into the team, he might not quite
05:57be at the levels, but you're confident that he will eventually be there?
06:02He was also unlucky. He had two very hard injuries for a long time, but he came back strongly the
06:15first time. And now the second time, Progresi as well, he is getting again his feet.
06:21And a lot of things he improved. He was learning the first two years we were working. It was really
06:29fantastic. But I am expecting again the best of Boubacar with his qualities, his maturity.
06:40He is intelligent. He is intelligent. He is a good professional. So he has a lot of positive things to
06:53improve and to get his best for the next weeks, months, years, hopefully with us and of course for his
07:01career.
07:07Mr Emery, question from Norwegian newspapers. After having analysed and studied Viking, what are their strengths that you need to
07:16look out for tomorrow?
07:18Yeah, very intense defensively. High press, very, very intense getting out of the duels and they are good. They are
07:24good. When they need the fans being competent and in middle block, low block as well, they are a very
07:31good team.
07:32They are intense and intense and aggressive playing in contact in duels. So it's not easy to dominate the match
07:40against them. When they are with the ball, they have intelligent players and as well physical players to get duels
07:49as well.
07:50They are playing short, they are playing long. They want to be more in the opponent's box. They are very
07:59strong in set pieces, very, very strong. They believe a lot in their set pieces, in throwing, in corners, in
08:06free kick.
08:06So we must be 90-minute focus on our task collectively, individually. Of course, my respect is massive. We are
08:21analysing everything and we are understanding as well how they are enjoying their moment in European Champions League.
08:30They are excited. And the guys, Bayern played a fantastic game against Stuttgart as well. They compete well, but they
08:37lost, but they compete well. So tomorrow I am expecting a very difficult match and how we can impose our
08:45game plan, our positioning, our duels, our capacity to get more chances than then is really, really a big challenge
08:58always.
09:01Hello, Mr. Emery, a question from NRK in Norway. After Vikings match against Bayern Munich last time, there has been
09:09a lot of attention on Viking captain Slatko Trippic. What is your opinion about his style of play and how
09:16he has an effect on the opposition and opposition players?
09:34I think I answered about them. My respect is massive. And how they played against Stuttgart and Bayern Munich is
09:43really fantastic. And how they are in the league. And how we can identify as well if they are fighting
09:49against Stuttgart.
09:49I think they are in the league last year. They did a fantastic season last year and the years before.
09:55I think now they are in a very good moment. They are so confident. And especially the captain and especially
10:01some players as well. But I think collectively the Stuttgart is a strong structure to compete.
10:08Hello, I have a question for Pupikar. Toro Ming said after Newcastle, he said he feels that after all the
10:16changes in the summer, there is a fresh energy around the club. Have you felt that as well with the
10:21new players coming in? Obviously there was a lot of change.
10:25Yeah, yeah, it's true. A lot of change. A lot of important players left. But yeah, we are happy with
10:35the new players. They are fantastic. They work a lot to understand how the manager wants to play. So we
10:45are happy.
10:52Hi. I just want to ask you about Manzambi because I believe he's now either scored or assisted in every
10:58start that he's had. I appreciate that he's still very young. But do you believe he's nearing the point where
11:02if he's fit, he's one of the first names on the team sheet?
11:22Yes, but we are building the team and we are trying to set our standards of the man so high.
11:35Understanding how the style we want to set strongly in our structure.
11:41So he's in the process to learn, to help us, to adapt. He's going quick, he's scoring goals, he's playing
11:50well, but he has a lot of things to work, to improve.
11:54So it's a process. And in football, to go up, up, up, up every day always is very difficult. So
12:03we must be passionate, we are happy.
12:05We believe how we are building the structure again. With the players we have. Some players, they adapted quicker than
12:14others.
12:15But we need every player. We need to continue working, not relaxing. We are under our expectation in Premier League.
12:23We are in the Champions League, performing well and getting good results. But tomorrow we can't relax in 90 minutes
12:33with nothing.
12:34Because we must be socially organized, socially focused, socially involved in how we need to improve things,
12:48how we are working inside, in the meetings, in the practice, in each match how we are playing to try
12:55to get better.
12:56And we can't forget. We won last week in Premier League at home, but we were not winning before.
13:05And tomorrow, again, we must try to be aware about how difficult this match and how we must get inside
13:17the pitch in 90 minutes.
13:18And we will be able to get our best collective and individual performance and attitude.
13:26Señor Una Alegria.
13:28Stig Nilsson, Stavanger Aftenbaugh, a newspaper in Stavanger, Norway.
13:33Have you ever heard about Viking before you drew them? And what do you think about the development of Norwegian
13:38football in the latest years?
13:42I am comparing Viking, his moment now, and Bodo Glyn. How both teams are performing fantastic in their league and
13:53in Europe.
13:55So, of course, the Norwegian players, they are very good players. The national team as well is fantastic.
14:04The set pieces coach is working with us. I am so happy with him. He was a player as well.
14:13And I am trying to help, to share with him all my experiences in set pieces.
14:20Trying as well to open his mind in his fresh work and understanding as well.
14:31And I think Norway now in football is a country normally doing very good things collectively.
14:44I am very happy with the club, the national team, the individual players and coaches.
14:52Hi, a question for Bouba. Last season was very difficult for you. How did you manage to stay focused?
15:00And are you looking to make up the lost time this season for the time you lost last year?
15:06Yeah, just spend my time with my family, keep my head fresh, work and that was my last year.
15:22What was this?
15:23One for Runa.
15:26I know it's difficult tomorrow. If you can win, that would be a 100% start on a good platform
15:32for doing well in the rest of the competition.
15:34Is that the message to the players tomorrow?
15:37The message is respect. Respect the competition, respect Europe.
15:44The difficulties in Europe to be like we are now at this point, but to keep it for the next
15:54matches.
15:55To be in the top eight, we are not favourites or even we are not contenders because there are a
16:03lot of teams in front of us for it.
16:05But in case we are getting points, like we did tomorrow, of course, we can have our opportunity to be
16:14there.
16:14The last two years we achieved it.
16:17The Champions League two years ago, top eight, last year top eight as well.
16:21But now a lot of teams, the favourite teams to be in the top eight, they are trying to avoid
16:29the mistakes they made maybe two years ago.
16:33Because, of course, two years ago, one example, they were playing because they weren't in the top eight.
16:39They were playing Manchester City against Real Madrid, one of those teams.
16:45He was out.
16:46This is the importance for them and for us as well to try to be the top eight.
16:52But we are not favourites, we are not contenders.
16:54But tomorrow we have a very good opportunity to try to play, to try to compete, to try to win,
17:00to try to keep improving our things.
17:05So, the most important is how we can feel better, how we can feel at home with our supporters in
17:14Villa Park,
17:17with good energy, with their help and the supporters are very important for us.
17:23And tomorrow hopefully we can create again a very great atmosphere together.
17:32One question for Mr Emery.
17:34You have a Norwegian set-piece coach.
17:37Can you describe how it is to work with Paul Fjell and why you wanted to get him to Aston
17:43Villa?
17:43Yes, I answered it about him, about Paul.
17:46Paul is a fantastic guy.
17:48Fantastic guy.
17:51He joined us in summer and he is progressively working in our idea to build set-pieces,
18:01trying to get through it as well, good performance.
18:06So, I am so happy with him and we are sharing a lot.
18:10We are having a lot of conversation together, a lot of meetings.
18:14Because I have a lot of experience as well in set-pieces.
18:18He is young but he has a good trajectory as a player first to understand set-pieces
18:24and now as an assistant coach in set-pieces.
18:27He is a really good guy and a very good professional
18:30and hopefully we can do a lot of good things together.
18:34Thanks everybody.
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