"We cannot avoid that the summer has been challenging because the financial rules were conditioning our investment in the squad.

"Financial control rules came to football to avoid bankruptcies and payment defaults with a good purpose.

"But as professionals we should review it, for this good tool will become a limitation for clubs that are doing good management, who'll never be allowed to dream & get higher goals because the revenue, key for these financial rules, needs time to come to reality."

"Since I arrived here I think we have done fantastic transfer windows. We have to be intelligent and alert. The most important is how we build the team. We are ambitious, but respecting the rules, getting the best players possible."

**Unai Emery on the Premier League and UEFA’s financial constraints preventing Villa competing.**



“Premier League, corrupt as fuck, Premier League, corrupt as fuck”

**The fans put it another way.**



**How do you feel about the new season?**

“We are excited and hopefully tomorrow we will show it in Villa Park. I like to start playing with our supporters, and with the atmosphere we were creating when we were winning at Villa Park was fantastic.

“I think tomorrow will be the same. Newcastle – what a game to enjoy, to prepare, to play, and to try to do our best.”

**What is the latest on Jacob Ramsey?**

"We are playing three matches with the transfer window working. And of course things can change, not just for us, but for other teams.

"Jacob Ramsey is not with us today, and if he is leaving we are going to continue our work.

"I was very happy working with him, but now I am focusing on the players we have available for tomorrow, and keep going."

**How competitive will it be this season?**

“We are starting similarly like last year and we are not a contender for the top seven. We have the capacity to build a strong team, maybe not with the same budget, but we are being competitive and this is the same idea I have now.

“We have to be competitive with our players and with our players, working hard, being motivated and excited. We are starting tomorrow and until day 38, this is the most important competition we face this year. Hopefully we can show our capacity to fight.”

**Is Morgan Rogers fit?**

“Yes. Tomorrow, they are not available: Emiliano Martínez, suspended, Andrés García is injured, and Ross Barkley is not match fit.”

**What do you expect from Newcastle?**

“It will be very difficult. They have a very good structure tactically and are strong with individual players. Collectively, they are such a strong team offensively and defensively to get a lot of duels.

“Our experiences playing against them in three years, winning and losing, hopefully tomorrow at home we can add our supporters pushing us.

“We have to be intelligent, we have to try to adapt to them tactically and try to win duels. Last year, we finished with 66 points and they finished with 66 points in 38 matches.

“We’re starting again now. They’re in the Champions League and we are in the Europa League because the goal difference was so tight. Conceding and scoring is the difference, and they did it.

“Hopefully we can start again, competing against them, showing our power and capacity with our performance in our tactical ideas and individual skills.”

**Is winning a trophy a key objective?**

“When I arrived here my objective was – and still is – to win a trophy. If we are playing in Europe we have one more option.

“For that reason, playing in Europe is very important because we can have another way to compete, to get a trophy, to be a contender, and play more matches. I’m always thinking that by playing matches against very good teams, you can improve more and gain more prestige.

“I’m starting with the same objective. Four competitions: Premier League is the first one, Europa League is the second one, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

“In those competitions, we have to try to do our best. To win a trophy is the next step forward I want to do after playing in Europe. I can’t refuse that the overall objective I have is to play again in Europe, even in front of one trophy. We can share both and try to get both, but next year I want to play again in Europe.”

**How was pre-season?**

“We did a fantastic pre-season. There were different steps we did. The first two weeks, we were working with a lot of young players from the Academy.

“Then we went to the United States and played three matches there at different levels, adapting to the players that were with us after their summers playing with their national teams.

“The last step we did last week, playing three matches with different players, trying to get our best fit for the players and to continue building the team for the starting XI for tomorrow.

“We were building the team for the whole season, and tomorrow is the focus. Newcastle with the best players we can play with tomorrow are focused 100 per cent for this match.”

**Are you frustrated about the rules holding Villa back?**

“I am not frustrated - I accept the rules and how we are competing, also how we are being ambitious to compete with the better teams in the Premier League and in Europe.

“We have to be proud of everything we are doing. Everything we have done is done. We are starting again. We are trying to get the target we have. I am motivated and excited, not frustrated. I accept it [the rules]

“We have to build our emotions together with our supporters. Sometimes I can be frustrated, but my frustration lasts only for a few hours.”

**Do you want to sign Asensio again?**

"The transfer window finishes for every team on September 1 at 7pm - I know the time as well! We have to be alert in case we can add players, to bring them and help us increase the level and capacity in the squad.

"We have to mix the rules of UEFA and the capacity and possibility we can have to bring in good players to add to the squad."

"We have signed Redmond, Bizot and Guessand. Their qualities will help us and they have settled well in the group. I also want to say farewell to players who have left the club and wish them well in their careers and personal lives."

**Unai Emery, pre-match.**


**What are your thoughts on the draw, Unai?**

"We are not happy when we are losing two points at home. But because of how the match went, more or less, they maybe even deserved more because they had better chances than us. We have to accept it.

"How we worked and how the players got their commitment playing in each moment, we have to accept the point. More or less, we can take confidence for the next matches.

"We didn’t control the game like we planned. Our build-up was not bad, but we didn’t threaten them. Some duels we didn’t win clearly. The last passes we needed to do, we lost a lot of balls. They created chances, and our goalkeeper did a fantastic job. He is comfortable in our idea.

"We didn’t concede a lot in the second half and created chances, but the red card completely changed the match. We have to feel happy and proud of our work. This is the level we are playing against, which is the highest in the Premier League and Europa League. Today was a very good test, and in the end, it was a good result."

**A word on Bizot's performance?**

"Fantastic. Fantastic, because it was his debut at home, against Newcastle. There are a lot of tactical ways we needed to do with the goalkeeper. He tried them, and he was focusing to try to start two-one, three-two, with our center-backs and midfielders, sometimes getting the full-backs involved and getting the ball to Watkins.

"He took some risk and played with confidence. His first save gave him confidence to play and feel strong in our structure. I am so happy because we need our players, and we will need him."

**Did you lack width?**

"Sometimes yes, but it depends. The first half, we weren't getting duels and winning them. I can remember us creating chances sometimes, like Ollie Watkins when he had a chance. Our full-backs were wide, and they exploited outside more than the wingers in the second half. Morgan Rogers and John McGinn are not special wingers, but they go inside. They played fantastic."

**Are you pleased with the character your team showed?**

"In the dressing room we spoke about the difficulties we faced. We corrected some tactical issues, and the players felt more comfortable in the second half. We started to dominate, and in that moment, the players and everyone saw it differently in the second half.

"The red card changed the game, and we were in a low block lots of times. We have to feel in balance with this point. It is a test, and we are starting the season. After the red card, it was harder to substitute players with the structure we were taking. Keep going and looking forward."

**Did you agree with the red card?**

"Yes. I accepted it."

**PSR – how should the rules change?**

"We are keeping balance, and we are respecting the rules. We are being competitive in the transfer window. Since I arrived here, we have done fantastic windows, in January and the summer. We now have to be intelligent and as well so alert in everything. I think the most important is how we are building the team, trying to get as strong as possible with the players we have.

"The club is working fantastic, and we are ambitious. We are ambitious, respecting the rules too, trying to get the best players possible. We are trying to be a contender for Europe and compete like we did today. We are not going to rest in case we can be with an option in the transfer window."

**Unai Emery, post match.**



“It was quite a tough game, especially in the second half.

“We knew that Newcastle were going to be high energy, on the front foot, very fit and willing to press, so we had to be smart about how we played and how we tried to cause them problems.

“They committed a lot of people to the backline up against us defenders, so (it was) very difficult, but I think we can be proud of how we defended as well.

“At the end of the day, I think it was a fairly even game, and when we go down to 10 men, we were very happy with a point.

“Tweaking the gameplan when you get an understanding of what the opposition are doing is a good time to do that, at half-time, and that’s what we did.

“It was a tough first half, of course, because everybody’s also trying to find their feet in the first game of the season and get up to speed.

“But I thoroughly enjoyed the game, thoroughly enjoyed our performance, it was great to be back at Villa Park. We’ll look forward to the next game.”

**Tyrone Mings, post match.**



"It looks like it's getting closer. He's a player I like. He will offer a lot of depth in midfield. With the amount of games we have we need more depth. He's outstanding."

**Eddie Howe on Jacob Ramsey.**



“First of all, it’s always special, it’s always (a) little tension to make your debut and to get your first match at home.

“In the first minutes, I had to feel it a little bit, and after a few moments, (a) few minutes, it was absolutely amazing.

“Stadium was fantastic, the atmosphere was good, so I enjoyed it.

“Luckily, I could keep the 0, and I did whatever I could for the team and for everybody. That’s what my role is.

“At the end, of course, if you look at the game and the red card, you are pleased with the point.

“But I think as a supporter, you always want to have the three points. That’s the only negative, the only disappointing thing.

“But, after all, after 10 men and the game we faced, it’s great to have (our) first point at home and 0-0.”


**Marco Bizot on his debut.**