"It is sold out at the stadium tomorrow and I think we will play with a very good atmosphere. I know they are coming from Birmingham, 700 more or less, trying to be with us. This is special to start here in Europe. We have to enjoy, be demanding and try to do something in this way, working a new step in Europe.

I am going to share with Aston Villa fans, workers, players and coaches a new chapter I want to write.

“I am happy in Europe and I am really happy with what we did last year. We are trying to be demanding in what we want to do and we want to do something important in this way. We are trying to get a step forward as well, trying to enjoy here.

“The Premier League is the best league in the world and each match is very tough. It’s the first objective we have to face this year, but Europe is another clear objective for me. We have to be demanding in Europe and enjoy.

"I never think that we play under pressure because I want to be here and we should do enjoying each match. Tomorrow, Legia Warsaw are second in the league, they’ve played two less games. They are playing very well.”

Unai Emery, pre-match.


“We knew before the match about the atmosphere here, how they were preparing for the match fully supporting in the stadium. They usually play matches here at home with the result they had. We analysed 27 matches, not watching, but analysing, how they were at home.

“They only lost one match, won 21 or 22. That was the consequence of the match we watched. Difficult, tough and they were very excited. They were playing with their best performance. We had some good moments and some really bad moments.

“In our worst moments they scored. We reacted well in the first half, scored two goals. The second half we started the same in the first half, we started well, but in one click, we concede another opportunity and they scored.

“In the last five minutes we had three chances to score, but overall analysing the match, and of course I want to watch how we can manage when we are playing matches like in Europe. In Europe, my experiences is matches like that, difficult, they were pushing a lot.

“Today, everything that happened in the match I have already lived before. We still are being with the possibility to react again because we will play another five matches and of course, it’s not a good result but we have to learn and understand how we are going to face this opposition.

“They have as well very good players, a plan in the game. They did good and we couldn’t stop them in some moments. We conceded chances because we lost our positioning on the pitch trying to control the game.

“I think we are feeling good when we are being in our positioning, keeping control of the game, keeping possession trying to take our rhythm and trying to impose it.

“The bad moments came when we didn’t control the rhythm. They exploited opportunities with space in behind. We concede chances like that.”

“We tried to respect them before and tried to win the match. Then, we have to be demanding ourselves to try to impose our game plan, but we didn’t do it. The frustration is coming because they imposed their game plan and it was enough to win three points in this group.

“The most important [thing] is to come back and win the next matches in the group. I really like to play matches being important when you lost one match like tonight. That is the experience I have. The most important is playing matches that are very demanding for us and a big challenge for the players. That is what we are facing in the next matches in the group.

“We have to build again the squad with the players, trying to play a lot of matches in the Premier League, in Europe, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. We will need players in the squad trying to give them opportunities to play and to use their qualities.

“Some players we have had injuries with, like Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, which have been difficult for us but we have to build again with the players we have. I believe in the squad, in the players. I know that tonight we could have lost with the starting 11 players that started on Sunday or will start on Sunday against Chelsea.

“We could have lost with other players on the pitch. First it is very difficult every match, away it is always difficult in Europe, I know it, and I have experiences of losing with the starting XI of players and with the sub players. It’s important to build a team, a structure, defensively and offensively to build our mentality and of course we didn’t achieve tonight that idea that we want to create.

“We have to learn and have to use this match trying to how we have to do our way with the players with the squad and the structure we want to create.”

Unai Emery, post-match.


 “Of course, I am using my experiences in Europe and playing a lot of matches during the week. We are now building the team.

“We didn’t want to lose, but it was a possibility. We need to build, to try to get performances with some players who joined us at the last moment, like Lenglet, like some players who are not playing regularly. They will help us and they will have to play and to do not only 11, 12, 15 we need. We will need 20, 22, 25 players. There have been injuries with Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia, and then a small injury like Diego Carlos.

“We made some mistakes, not usually tactical mistakes, but I spoke with the players, it was a small accident. We will analyse and react to improve the mistakes we did yesterday.

“The players, they are as well very excited for the Conference League and we are going to play another five matches. Everything that happened yesterday was to learn and to build the team in the way we want. There was a small tactical mistake and it is my responsibility to work on it.”

Unai Emery, post-match.