13.10.2026 16:40
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery spoke ahead of the match against Fenerbahçe in matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League. The experienced coach, stating that he has injured players, said, "There are negative situations for some players. We are trying to find a solution. Ian Maatsen is not ready. Leon Goretzka is in tomorrow's squad. Amadou Onana has started training with us."
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery said that their match against Fenerbahçe tomorrow in matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League would be difficult. Speaking at a press conference held at the Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Emery stated that they needed to raise their level of competition.
''WE WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO SHOW THIS''
Emery, who conveyed that they needed to be realistic under pressure and that they were working on this, said, "Not everything is enough yet. We have many conversations with the team. We do practical training sessions. We try to show progress in every match. We haven't won at Villa Park yet, so the match is important for us. Tomorrow there is a huge opportunity. We need to take another step forward and show this progress. From the players' perspective, it is important that they feel confident. Villa Park is a very important place for us. We have always felt comfortable at our own ground. Tomorrow we will be in a new competition and we will have the chance to show this." he said.
''THERE ARE NEGATIVE SITUATIONS FOR SOME PLAYERS''
Explaining that they reminded his players that Aston Villa won this cup, Emery continued as follows:
"This is a very big competition. We remind ourselves of 1982. We remind our players that Aston Villa won this cup. We remind them how we enjoyed it two years ago and how we competed at the highest level. Right now my motivation is high and I want to share this with the players and the fans. Villa Park will be full of the energy we need. What we will do is always play better. There are negative situations for some players. We are trying to find a solution. Ian Maatsen is not ready. Leon Goretzka is in tomorrow's squad. Amadou Onana has started training with us."
''FENERBAHÇE HAS A GREAT HISTORY''
Unai Emery stated that Fenerbahçe is a very important club with a great history.
Recalling that they played a tough match against Fenerbahçe in Istanbul last season, Emery said, "Fenerbahçe has a great history. It is a very important team for Turkey. Last year we played a very difficult match in Istanbul. Now we will play here at our home ground. Some of their players have changed, they have a different coach. We are analyzing right now. With the new head coach, we are tactically analyzing their game. I expect a difficult match tomorrow. It is important that they have good players, a good head coach, and are a good European team. In terms of quality, their players are at a very high level. Their ability to compete in Europe is very good. We respect them. Tomorrow we will try to put out our own plan and ideas."
''THERE ARE ALSO VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS FROM FENERBAHÇE''
Emphasizing that they will face a new test tomorrow, Emery concluded his words as follows:
"We have played only one match in the Champions League. We won, but tomorrow will be a new test. The Premier League is very difficult. Perhaps for different reasons, it is one of the most difficult leagues in the world. Maybe this is not the place for it, but on Saturday there was a very difficult match. There are very good players, and there are head coaches with very good tactical ideas. But Europe is very different. When we compare the Premier League with the Champions League, there are many teams here that are at a level where they can play at the highest standard. Staying high in the Premier League is very difficult. In the Champions League, being in the top 8 is an incredible achievement. The goal is the same; we know we need to win 5-6 matches again. We won the first one; tomorrow we will again be in a competition. We hope to win, but there are also very high expectations from Fenerbahçe. They are a very experienced club."