Unai Emery underlined that the win against Real Betis was crucial to try and look up the table
Villarreal head coach Unai Emery appeared in front of the media after the game against Real Betis. Here’s what he had to say:
Importance of the match
“We knew this match was key because it is against a direct rival. Last year, these matches against direct opponents were great experience. This year, they’re a direct rival. Winning today, even though it’s a long season, was important. The team is very focused. Without a striker, we tried to find a structure where we were comfortable. It’s another brick in the structure we’re building.”
Good form
“Playing well helps you win, and winning gives you confidence. The draws were penalizing us. The only way of the draw against Madrid being a good result was if we won today. There are certain things which are making us feel good, and that’s giving us confidence. We were consistent against a good opponent, like we were against Real Madrid and Manchester United. We wanted to link up well with Danjuma and Yeremy.”
Absences and the international break
“The draws mean we’ve had points slip away from us, as well as the games that we still need to play. Being strong at home is important. They are small challenges we set ourselves, and that gives us a clear motivation. We’re adapting to different opponents. The team took a step forward important.”
Unbeaten
“It’s difficult to win, but we needed to add something to our game to make the draws into wins. We also see that it’s not easy for other teams. We have a game in hand, which could see us move closer towards the European spots. Betis are a team that are at a similar level to us, and we’ve put in a good performance against them.”
Iborra
“Iborra is a very important player in the dressing room. Everyone wants to feel important on the pitch. There are a lot of games, with rotations, injuries and suspensions, so everyone will play. Iborra works hard, like the coaches want from their players. He needs to continue getting minutes under his belt after the injury, but today, he took a step forward.”
