Emery is ready to deliver the knockout blow
UNAI EMERY enjoyed some shadow boxing with Jurgen Klopp then warned the Liverpool manager he will land the knockout blow tonight.
The Sevilla boss says his team are hungry to make history by becoming the first club to win the Europa League – or its forerunner the UEFA Cup – three seasons in a row.
Spaniard Emery is as animated on the touchline as German Klopp and joked that there could be as much action in the technical area as on the pitch at St Jakob-Park.
He said: “I was talking to the coach of Liverpool, asked if we are going to fight, and we pretended to shadow box.”
Emery is impressed but not worried about Liverpool’s highintensity football that has blown away Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal in the previous rounds.
“The way they have played is incredible and they have beaten some great teams,” he said. “But we have advantages. We are winners, we have won the title and now we have a chance to make history. The game will be 50-50.
“What will decide whether we win is if we are able to neutralise the qualities of our opponents.
“It could be a match with a very high pace and Liverpool will go for it, as will we. If they want to go that way, we are willing to go that way. We are going to fight a lot and both teams are going to struggle a lot. We are ready to not only play 90 minutes, but extra-time. We have to be prepared for a long night. Anything could happen.”
Emery, 44, has huge respect for Liverpool’s history and Klopp’s coaching ability, and cited former Sevilla full-back Alberto Moreno’s improvement this season under him.
He said: “Liverpool are among the 10 best teams in the world. They have a great history. The team has changed a bit with the new coach, but it’s still a very strong team with great players.
“Alberto was great with us but in the last two years he has developed immensely. He is happy, aggressive and strong.”
Emery is not concerned that there are expected to be up to three times as many Liverpool fans as those from Spain inside the 38,000-capacity ground.
“We’re not worried,” he said. “We need to feel the support of those who are here and also those who haven’t been able to travel but will follow what we do from their homes.”
Sevilla are bidding to win their fifth Europa League/UEFA Cup in the last decade – the last two under Emery. A third would put him level with Italian Giovanni Trapattoni as the manager with the most titles in the history of the competition.