**Villa have only won one of their seven matches after a Champions League - how difficult is that transition?**

"It is our challenge. Our challenge is to compete in different competitions and compete like we need to. Every match we are facing, our challenge at the beginning is to compete. It is to try and get our performances individually and collectively."

**How difficult will it be against Brentford?**

"Very difficult. It is a very tough match for different reasons. They are performing very well and always compete fantastically. Thomas has achieved success in the years he has been there, even better tactically and getting better.

"I respect them a lot, the manager, the club and players. They have very good players with very good numbers. Tomorrow we will need to perform very good. We want to win and compete to get points there. The strikers, the wingers and midfielders score goals and get assists."

**Brentford haven't won any of their last six league games...**

"Sometimes you can perform fantastic and still not win. They have different results and they are performing well. They are playing some matches not winning, but deserving more. They are always strong at home. They always compete very well and make it difficult for the opponent."

**How are your players dealing with fatigue?**

"Recover, good food, good sleep. We need to try and get energy with players who are available. Sometimes you need fresh legs. It is a challenge to compete in the competitions to get our objectives.

"Until the last day in the Premier League, the message is the same: through the Premier League, it is our objective to get our target in the season."

**How hard is it for Thomas Frank to sustain the success he has enjoyed at Brentford?**

"They are performing very well because they work very well in everything. THey have a new stadium and new technologies they use in scouting. The coach is tactically improving and getting better.

"It is not the same Brentford I knew when I was last in the Premier League five years ago. Always, they are updating their tactical ideas in his team. One thing they don’t forget in their way is to compete. They can play better, worse or brilliant and less brilliant, but they always compete.

"The progress they have had is because they have been brilliant more than less. They have got their objectives. Some players are performing very well and they give them another level in the Premier League."

**Is Asensio close to starting?**

"Yes, of course."

**What is the injury news?**

"Progressively we are adding [players] after they have been injured.

”They are getting closer to playing more minutes.

"We anticipated Kamara's comeback because we needed him. We were trying to protect him by not playing in the starting XI and playing minutes. With Torres it was the same and Cash the same, protecting them. They played some minutes, Kamara and Cash, but we have to be intelligent with every player and Pau Torres the same.

"Barkley is out and not available for tomorrow. Onana is starting to work with the team and is close to being with us as well. We will need those players being recovered after their injuries. Hopefully we can be more consistent, not getting injuries."

Unai Emery pre-match.



"They were yesterday not feeling good, some muscle pain. Not really important because we still tested them, but they weren't available. We decided to avoid risk with both players. Hopefully both can recover for Wednesday."

Unai Emery on the unexpected absence of Emiliano Martínez and Marco Asensio.



“After playing in the Champions League it’s hard to win, but I think today we deserved the three points. In the first half we played very well. At the beginning of the second half we scored, and then we saw the character of the team.

“We need to be more consistent. After the game we lost against Palace [in Villa's last league game], we were hungry and wanted to correct it. The game today was the perfect answer because everyone was fighting.”

“I just tried to do my best to help the team. I came here to play and to enjoy myself. I’m very happy at Villa.”

“We’ll take it one game at a time. We know we have to be higher in the league. We just have to stay focused. We have another game on Wednesday [in the Champions League]. I hope this kind of game will bring confidence to the team.”

Axel Disasi post match.



"He is adapting to us. When I spoke to him before he came to us, I spoke with the position we needed him to occupy, at center-back in a four or three on the right.

"He played in other teams in this position. He accepted the challenge. Of course, when he played as a center-back he played good. He has been growing in confidence and today I think he did one step forward more."

Unai Emery on Axel Disasi.


"Yes, he did a fantastic job and he is always ready to play, to help. He's so so appreciated as a person in the dressing room, and the players as well, they are happy for him as well, because to be substitute (I think he says this) for Emi Martinez, the best goalkeeper in the world, is not easy and he is always doing fantastic as a person, as a professional.

"But for example, last match we played away, he (Martinez) was not available in the second half in Palace. He (Olsen) played, we conceded three goals and today was very important, for his confidence, for the players to try get this victory through a clean sheet, to try help and support Robin Olsen. It was really fantastic how he played today and how he helped us today. "

Unai Emery on Robin Olsen.



“Yes, of course today was very important because they were before us and to beat them is more or less our opponent (for Europe). Two years ago, we were competing with them to get Europe and we got it in the last match against Brighton because we won - if we weren’t winning, they would be in Europe.

“Last year as well, this year as well. Of course, there are other teams as well really playing fantastic, performing fantastic.

“We have to be really demanding, extremely demanding for the rest of the season. Today winning of course is something we can add as a confidence, we can add as a believing in our next match we’re going to play and we can focus now on Brugge on Wednesday.

“Then of course we are going to rest more than other teams but we will work like a small precision with some players and try to be ready because we are now really hungry to play the last two months and a half because we lost something in our way this year and have to try to recover, especially in the Premier League.”

Unai Emery post match.



“Brentford were four points behind us. They are also fighting for the European positions. We’re under our expectations [in the Premier League], but to get the three points today is really fantastic.

“We said how important this game was because our next Premier League match is 25 days away, I think. We competed fantastically, more or less the same as we did in Bruges.

“Robin Olsen was fantastic. We’re happy but need to calm down now, because we’re still trying to do the work we need for the next few matches.

“We believe in the players and believe we can compete. Last year we achieved fourth place, but to [replicate] that this year is very difficult. The Premier League is the first [target].”

“We respect the teams competing with us a lot. Last year we were the surprise. This year, it’s Nottingham Forest. We’re competing with other teams, but with these three points today, we’re close.

“Now our only focus is on Wednesday [against Bruges].”

Unai Emery post match.