Villarreal performed below expectation last night when they faced Liverpool in the first leg of Champions League semi-finals, even as many expected them to pull surprises.
Coach Unai Emery later admitted that things hadn’t gone well for his team.
“In the semi-finals, you have to go up against these very powerful opponents and the surprise factor was diluted for us . It was a match that we wanted to win but weren’t able to; they didn’t let us take control of the game, they didn’t let us run…”
“Today was resisting as much as we could defensively in order to have a chance in the second match and that we did do. It will be different because we will come up with different things.”
Emery is optimistic he will overturn the two goals deficit when Jurgen Klopp’s side visit Villareal for the second leg of the tie.
“We know they are favourites, that they are better, but also that we can compete with them. Today we didn’t do that and we can’t say we did. But sometimes the negative results must be put in perspective.”
Defender Pau Torres believes Villarreal would play differently at the Estadio La Ceramica.
“Today could have been worse, we didn’t deserve anything better either. We have to try to ensure that it is totally different there, that we impose what we want. Today we had a plan and the idea didn’t come off. Even taking corners we were bad.”
