Emery looks ahead to Viking encounter

Unai Emery faced the media at Bodymoor Heath on Tuesday afternoon, as Aston Villa prepare to return to UEFA Champions League action.

Norwegian champions Viking visit Villa Park on Wednesday evening, with action on Matchday Three to get underway at 8pm.

Emery met local, national and European outlets at the club’s training ground to preview the clash, discussing Johan Manzambi's form, Viking and his message to the players.

Read the key lines from his pre-match press conference below…

On Viking...

“Champions League, every team they are playing Champions League, they are because they deserve it and they are dangerous and they have their collective and individual issues or characteristics as a team.

“Viking, they drew against Bayern Munich last week, they lost against Stuttgart. They are with Bodø/Glimt in the league, first and second with the same points.

“Bodø/Glimt is a team successful the last years in Europe, performing well, getting good results, playing Champions League, beating important teams.

“So Viking now is a new team as well, with the with the capacity to draw against Bayern Munich, the capacity as well to compete against Stuttgart and to compete against us tomorrow.

“This is Champions League, and Champions League is very difficult. In Champions League, we have now six points, it’s something amazing, but very difficult, and to keep the same way we are is our challenge.

“It’s not only Champions League, because Europa League is very difficult, and Conference League is very difficult. Europe is always very difficult.

“This is the first respect. We are Champions League, and each team is, of course, very, very respectful for us.

“They are very intense. Defensively, high press, very, very intense, getting a lot of duels, and they are good.

“When they need defence being compact and in low block as well, they are a very good team. They are intense and aggressive and playing in contact in duels, so it’s not easy to dominate the match against them.

“When they are with the ball, they have intelligent players, and as well, physical players to get duels as well.

“They are playing short, they are playing long, they want to be more in the opponent box. They are very strong in set-pieces – very, very strong.

“They believe a lot in their set-pieces, in throw-ins, in corners, in free-kicks, so, we must be, in 90 minutes, so, so focused on our task, collectively, individually, of course, my respect is massive.

“We are analysing everything, and we are understanding as well, how they are enjoying their moment in Europe, in Champions League. They are excited and against Bayern Munich they played a fantastic game. Against Stuttgart as well, they competed well. They lost, but they competed well.

“So tomorrow, I’m expecting a very difficult match and how we can impose our gameplan, our positioning, our duels, our capacity to get more chances than them, is really a big challenge, always.”

On Johan Manzambi...

“We are building the team and we are trying to set our standard, our demands so high, understanding about how the style we want to set strongly in our structure.

“He’s in the process to learn, to help us, to adapt. He’s going quick, he’s scoring goals, he’s playing well, but he has a lot of things to work to improve.

“So, it’s a process, and in football, to go up, up, up, up every day, always is very difficult, so we must be patient.

“We are happy, we believe in how we are building the structure again, with the players we have. Some players, they adapted quicker than others, but we need every player, we need to continue working, not relaxing.

“We are under our expectation in Premier League. We are in Champions League, performing well and getting good results, but tomorrow we can’t relax in 90 minutes in nothing, because we must be so, so organised, so, so focused, so, so involving in how we need to improve things, how we are working inside in the meetings, in the practice, in each match, how we are playing to try to get better.

“And we can’t forget, we won last week against Fenerbahçe at home, but we were not winning before. And tomorrow, again, we must try to be aware about how difficult the match is and how we must get inside the pitch in 90 minutes, our best collective and individual performance and attitude.”

On message to players...

“The message is respect. Respect the competition, respect Europe, the difficulties in Europe to be like we are now with six points, but to keep it for the next matches.

“To be in the top eight, we are not favourites, or even we are not contenders, because there are a lot of teams in front of us for it, but in case we are getting points like we did, tomorrow, of course, we can have our opportunity to be there.

“The last two years, we achieved it, Champions League two years ago, top eight, last year, top eight as well, but now, a lot of teams, the favourite teams to be in the top eight, they are trying to avoid the mistakes they made maybe two years ago.

“Of course, two years ago, one example, they were playing because they weren’t in the top eight, they were playing – Manchester City against Real Madrid. One of those teams, they were out.

“This is the importance for them and for us as well, to try to be in the top eight. We are not favourites, we are not contenders, but tomorrow we have a very good opportunity to try to play, to try to compete, to try to win, to try to keep improving our things.

“So, the most important is how we can feel better, and how we can feel at home with our supporters in Villa Park with a good energy, with their help. The supporters are very important for us, and tomorrow, hopefully we can create again a very great atmosphere together.”

Watch Emery's full pre-match press conference alongside Boubacar Kamara now via VillaTV, by clicking below...