UEFA Champions League Our loss to Liverpool could have been worse—Villarreal coach Unai Emery

Unai Emery

Villarreal CF coach Unai Emery has said their 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg could have been worse on Wednesday evening.

At home, it will be a distinct game. We are going to be capable of proposing more. It is Liverpool, we know they are the favourites and they are better, but we can compete against them,” he told the Spanish club’s website.

Today we didn’t, but these games are over two legs and you need to be rational. Today could have been worse. We didn’t deserve anything more than the 2-0.”

He said Liverpool stopped Villarreal from playing its game hence the loss.

They didn’t let us run in behind them. We weren’t able to play the game we wanted, and our plan was to try and resist everything in defence, to have chances in the second game,” the former Arsenal boss told the Spanish club’s website.

The former PSG boss said his side can cause an upset in the reverse leg scheduled for next week.

At our stadium, we have played well in the Champions League, and I hope we can do so again. We can score a goal at home and get into the tie,” he said.

Mane scored the second goal after Estupiñán’s own goal inside two second half minutes had given Liverpool a dream start to the semifinal first-leg.

Emery made changes by bringing in Senegal’s Bula Dia for Nigerian Chukweze whereas Ivorian wingback Sergie Aurier replaced Parejo but the visitors could not score.


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