The Basque coach spoke about the dangers of the Croatian side and the importance of getting a positive result in the first leg
Villarreal CF head coach Unai Emery, along with Raúl Albiol, spoke to the media at the press conference ahead of the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off clash against Hajduk Split (Thursday, 8:45pm CEST) in the first leg at the Ciutat de València. These were the key aspects highlighted by the Basque manager:
The opposition
“Hajduk are an opponent with history, but they also have a present. We want to qualify, but for them qualifying is something exciting and important. That’s why we’ve prepared the tie thoroughly and we’re trying to find our best version of ourselves. Tomorrow we have a big test and we must try to win to give us a certain advantage, bearing in mind that we’re going to find ourselves in an unfavourable atmosphere in the second leg.”
The team’s momentum
“The team is in good shape. We have the objective of showing continuity and following the line we have seen during the pre-season.”
The fans, a key factor
“We want to share with them the journey and not just the endings. Tomorrow we start our journey in the Conference League and we need them, so we hope they will be with us. Then, we have the responsibility to win and be at our best for them.”
Winning the Conference League
“What we gained in the Europa League and Champions League gives us recognition and great experiences, but that’s over. The present is the important thing and now we have the opportunity to build a new history with the team in this competition.”
