Unai Emery underlines that it has been a difficult pre-season, but that he sees the team with a competitive spirit
Villarreal CF head coach Unai Emery underlined that it has been a stop-start preseason due to injuries and COVID-19 cases detected in the squad, but he emphasized that he sees the team with a competitive spirit ahead of the UEFA Super Cup final against Chelsea and the start of the LaLiga campaign: “It has been a different pre-season due to various situations. We have to take it naturally, knowing that we will pick up injuries, and knowing that COVID-19 is present. COVID has conditioned us in terms of preparing games. With the vaccine, we hope that we can go into the season full of guarantees. It isn’t the best way of preparing for the final, but we’re not looking to make excuses. It’s an opportunity to win a title against Chelsea,” he said.
For Emery, Chelsea will be a tough opponent. “We need to overcome adverse circumstances and continue moving forward. We’re facing the Champions League winners, which means that they are the best team in the world this season. We have a competitive spirit to go into the game with guarantees. Chelsea have internationals with Spain and Italy who didn’t get back until this week. Their starting XI will not be the same as the Champions League final. Maybe some of their strongest players won’t start. We will analyse them based on how we are.”
To conclude, the Basque head coach recognised that the club is working on bringing in another player: “We’re looking for someone who can play on the wing. Someone who can start on the left and helps our attacking full-backs. Someone who can beat a player. We are looking at various players and we are working hard to try and make a signing like we have with Dia and Foyth. I am grateful for the club’s effort in these tough times.”
