“Always I speaking about it in Europe. My first objective to get in Europe with Villa. Last year we did a very big effort to achieve the Europa Conference League. We are now enjoying it and testing it, how difficult Europe is. Even in the Europa Conference League and when a team’s level is less than us.

"We lost in Warsaw and were then close to drawing with Zrinjski here at Villa Park. We also drew in Zrinjski. Against Ajax, we played very well at home, but the first leg in Amsterdam we struggled and we drew. In Lille, it was similar.

"Of course, this is Europe. My experience is that this is very difficult. The level is different, but all the teams are very motivated. We are the only team left in Europe from England and our league is the toughest in Europe. We have to be 100 per cent prepared and to play in Europe is always a difficult challenge too.

"Our first experiences with our players in Europe, I feel that we are building a good connection and we are enjoying it too. Tomorrow, the semi-final is again, for us, a very exciting moment.

"I don’t want to remember my past in Europe. Of course, I know it is successful, but I want to focus on each moment because the past is important for my experiences, but not for the future.

"It is about creating and building a future. It is only practising with the players with the club I am at. It is creating a new way and trying to enjoy a new way. Of course, I know football is only to win.

"I am here because I was more successful than less. Now, with the players we have the club as well, I feel that we are wishing and are willing to play focusing 100 per cent because we appreciate a lot Europe.

"I was very convincing with my response before. If we are refusing one competition, I don’t understand how we can do it. The most successful teams in the world - that is my reference as a coach.

"The winning coaches in Spain, England France, Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, they are my guide for myself when I am trying to play in different competitions. Now, we are very excited with the Conference League and we are very motivated with the Premier League.

"It does not change my first message when we started the season. The most important thing is the Premier League and then we can add more. In case at the end of the season we are contenders like we are now, then of course the importance changes a little bit. Still, the first objective is the Premier League, but we are not refusing the Europa Conference League.

“Being positive at the start of the season like we are being now. Maybe it’s the best way we were thinking to do, but when you are being consistent and getting better, it is not a surprise. The players have responded very well, but to keep it for a long time is very difficult. It is the end of the season and we are now clearly focusing on being a contender on our objectives. My idea is to keep going after it.

"To increase to get more and more having good moments. To be in Europe is one step ahead than last year we’re still in Europe for next year and one step ahead we will be in Europa League minimum. The level is increasing, changing in each competition.

"When you get to the final the level is big level and even before we played against Ajax and Lille and Olympiacos those teams have big experiences in Europe. They’re usually playing in the Europa League and they have a lot of players in the national team. We respect them and Europe is really amazing to be in.

"To play at home and away is similar only extra time away is the small advantage they can have. We have experiences here playing home and away is totally different.

"Against Lille we won here and struggled away in Ajax the other way around. They will feel they can be stronger in their stadium with their supporters. We have to try and get an advantage knowing in our experiences to play away could be more difficult than at home. Our objective is to try and win.

"Emi is out. We are focusing on tomorrow, he’s feeling better but I don’t know for Sunday. Clean sheets are the first step to avoid losing matches. If you’re not keeping a clean sheet and you’re winning I’m happy. To be strong and get comfortable defensively is keeping clean sheets. We’re trying to avoid conceding but we’re being consistent in scoring goals and my demand as a coach is to get better defensively, overall we have to accept we’re being consistent.

"Martinez is very competitive and very important and helped us a lot. But when one issues like that and a small injury as well we have to help and support and push another player in the squad. Robin Olsen very competitive every day in training when he played he helped the team and the team believes in him and trusts in his performances. On Saturday he played 45 minutes and he saved us. He’s a humble man and hopefully he can help us.

“We have other players ready to lead the team. I’m pushing Konsa and McGinn to lead in different moments, I like to try to explain in the dressing room in front of everyone, they are doing that. Even Leon Bailey likes to speak, Ollie Watkins usually they are one step ahead trying to share our thoughts in front of other players.

"We are always working with three goalkeepers. We got him with the idea of developing with us. Olsen has been consistent and we needed him for different reasons, he is always ready to play at to help us. I remember against Tottenham when he played and we won, this is the argument we have with Robin he’s always for us very important to have the opportunity to play in case it’s not Emiliano because he’s a very good professional and man and everyone respects him.

"Robin is very respectful of the situation and he wants to help us here with the moment we can give him to play. To accept and be ready to play and to help us when we need, that’s what we need for someone behind Emi. Need to know how we are playing and be able to compete and to get to the best level.

“Alex Moreno is close to coming back. Zaniolo could be in the squad because he is feeling better. Tielemans is not available for tomorrow, but he is feeling good. The other players are available.

Unai Emery, pre-match.


“I can see that Villa are not far away and I can see that Unai Emery will have an easy job explaining this game.

“He will think 'we are more efficient' and Olympiakos will not score four goals from five chances again - Aston Villa are still alive.”

Guillem Balague


“It's a difficult one to take tonight, but you have to give credit to Olympiakos. I thought they did really well, they were very aggressive themselves.

“Olsen will be disappointed but it's a team thing, not just a goalkeeping situation. The all-round performance defensively, as a team, has to be better.”

Alan Hutton


"Not the game we wanted. We wanted a lot more control. We started the game well.

"They're a good side. We wanted a victory going to Greece. We showed we're capable of coming back.

"Mistakes all round tonight. We'll take responsibility but it's up to us to go to Athens and turn it around because we're capable.

"They played very well tactically. They played the way we expected so there were no surprises.

"Everything that could have gone wrong tonight did.

"The manager was still positive in there. There's still a long way to go.

"We need to play a lot better than we did tonight but we're more than capable of doing it.

"Hopefully we'll have a few players back. The onus is on us to attack Olympiakos and score some goals.

"We have a mountain to climb but we know we're capable."

John McGinn.



"Congratulations to them.

"We didn't play like we are playing. We need to keep being consistent.

"They deserved to win. They are a good team. They have experience.

"It's not about luck. We didn't play well. We have to play better. They deserved to win.

"We are frustrated and disappointed, we didn’t play well.

We didn’t have control of the game, we were playing so fast. In a lot of moments we needed to stop them and get in the box with more passes.

"They were attacking and they played the matches so open and the plan was completely different. They did well and we didn’t do like we planned.

"They are favourite and they deserved to win today, we try to come back next week but they are favourite, we will play there trying to show something different.

“We conceded four goals, lost a lot of balls. We were extra motivated and extra excited and it’s a very good moment playing in the semi final and we lost the first leg today, we will have the second opportunity but we will focus now on Sunday.”

Unai Emery, post match.