Unai Emery expects a tough match against Juventus in a historic game at the Estadio de la Cerámica (Tuesday, 9pm CET)
Villarreal head coach Unai Emery appeared in front of the media to analyse the upcoming match against Juventus FC, corresponding to the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 this Tuesday at 9pm CET at the Estadio de la Cerámica. These are the standout aspects of what he had to say:
Juventus, a big European side
“Juventus are a team who deserve all our respect. They’re the most decorated team in Italy and they know what winning a UEFA Champions League is. They have great players. Vlahovic has 18 goals this season. They’re very capable and they’re extremely hungry.”
A challenge of competing against the best
“This is the level at which we want to compete. We want to play against the best teams and the best players. That is our challenge. We’re here because we have earned it.”
A difficult match
“We expect a really tough match. They are capable of having the registers that each match needs at any times. They can be very attacking. They know how to have a deep defence, play together and be strong. They also have a great counter-attack. They can also push high and stop you from putting a move together and making you need to play in a different way you want to.”
Confidence and a competitive spirit
“Juventus have a lot of international players. They all have a lot of experience. With their club, and with their country. We also have a lot of international players. We have to have confidence in a tie that we’re playing because we deserve to be there. We to be recognised not only for our playing style, but for getting a win.”
Determination against Juventus, who are the favourites
“We have Juventus in front of us, and they’re the favourites. If they play at their best level, they feel like they can go through. That’s normal. We’re humble and respectful, but we also want to take a step forward, believe, and perform. We need to play with confidence. It will be tough, but that motivates us, and makes tomorrow a very special day.”
A Champions League night to enjoy
“I’m asking the fans to enjoy, to be with us, and we need to work hard, demand a lot and compete. We don’t play in the Champions League every year. We’d like to. When we play it, we need to enjoy it. Sharing our excitement with the fans for us to be a bigger force together.”
