"Was NOT possible" Pereira on Aston Villa eliminating Nottingham Forest

0:00 GUYS, CONGRATULATIONS.

0:01 WHAT AN incredible night.

0:03 Just sum up how you feel right now, Ollie.

0:05 Istanbul bound.

0:06 Oh, amazing.

0:07 Amazing.

0:07 You know, in the first leg, we were very passive.

0:10 They've got some good players and and uh to be fair,

0:12 they they deserve the win I felt in the in the first game,

0:15 but it was always going to be difficult

0:16 here for them at Villa Park and you know,

0:18 we've been looking forward to this for for weeks since we played.

0:21 Obviously, the po performance against Tottenham,

0:23 but I think everyone's mind was on this game tonight.

0:26 From the off, you guys just seem to be at it tonight.

0:29 You're winning every battle, every jewel out there, Emmy.

0:33 Of course, we knew how how difficult and how tough these games are.

0:37 They show some character in the in the in the first in the first leg and and we

0:41 knew from the beginning we needed to to start

0:44 strong here with our fans, with our supporter.

0:46 They were the the 12man and I think everyone uh run a lot, fight a lot.

0:52 So, and then we play our football.

0:54 We show the the the whole season how how good

0:57 we can play and and and we show it today.

1:00 I think the the result is is amazing and I think we deserve this.

1:04 You're pushing for the goal.

1:06 Who's going to claim this?

1:07 Because you tapped it in but ultimately was it Emmy

1:09 that created that allowed you to get in that position.

1:12 He just put it on the plate for me at the end of the day.

1:14 I had to tap it in.

1:15 But that that's what I want to do.

1:16 Um but yeah, amazing amazing goal and assist for him today.

1:20 But I think everyone worked worked so hard.

1:23 Um it's hard to, you know, pick a man of the match.

1:25 We were all uh we're all amazing.

1:27 I thought Emmy, I'm going to say you were the coolest man in Villa Park

1:30 when you put that ball on the penalty spot cuz let me tell you,

1:32 I was sat amongst the fans.

1:33 They they were nervous when you put that ball down.

1:36 No, I took the responsibility.

1:38 I think it obviously was one of the the most

1:41 decisive penalties for the for the club in the recent years.

1:45 Uh but I didn't feel pressure.

1:47 I think I feel calm and I I knew it 100% what

1:50 I wanted to do and yeah go to help the team and then

1:55 but after that the team is still fighting going forward pressing high

1:59 and and and we wanted more and we we create an amazing result.

2:04 The atmosphere in here tonight was unbelievable from start to finish.

2:07 It's been 44 years.

2:08 Some of these fans have never seen Villa in a major European

2:12 final and some have waited a heck of a long time for this.

2:16 Yeah, I think there's no better manager than than this to uh you know

2:21 to get us prepared for this game and obviously take us into the final as well.

2:24 His track record speaks for itself.

2:26 So um yeah, we're in a great position,

2:27 but we need to we need to go there and win now.

2:30 Well, yeah, it's looking like I think it is Fryberg.

2:32 Fryberg it looks like in the final for you boys now.

2:35 So what would it mean to end this season?

2:38 We know there's Champions League

2:39 football potentially through the Premier League,

2:41 but what would it mean to win a trophy?

2:43 Oh, of course.

2:44 I think the prestige to to to win to win

2:47 a trophy and obviously for this club with the history this club

2:52 got is an amazing we know the fans really really

2:57 want this this trophy for for us and we will fight.

3:01 It's a final we need to prepare well and and and keep going

3:05 in the Premier League as well because we want to finish as as tough as possible.

3:09 Lovely.

3:09 I'm going to let you both go.

3:10 Are you okay?

3:11 You got a knock on the head.

3:13 You're all right.

3:13 You're right.

3:13 We'll see you in 13 days.

3:14 We are looking forward to it.

3:15 Well done.

3:16 Uni.

3:16 Massive congratulations.

3:18 You are on the way to Istanbul.

3:20 Can you just sum up the game and how you feel right now?

3:24 Good evening.

3:25 Very happy to to enjoy this momentum

3:30 with the supporters and Villa Park this semi-final second layer.

3:37 Of course, we needed them and they supported us was a great

3:42 and more for today and the players they responded fantastic after the first leg,

3:47 how we were planning the match today,

3:49 how we prepared the days before and on the field they were sourc.

3:55 It did seem your players really were on it.

3:58 They were winning every battle.

3:59 Was was this what you were expecting tonight?

4:03 We needed to improve things.

4:04 We didn't do well the first leg in in in Nottingham

4:08 of course playing away and in the stadium

4:11 with the morer but uh we were focusing

4:16 a lot preparing the game today to change some things

4:20 and improving things and one of them was get

4:23 duals and uh try to press better on the field

4:29 stopping them and through it progressively dominate and impose

4:34 and of of course with their quality to win

4:36 some fantastic goals as well tonight to win by such a deficit a 4-nil deficit

4:42 that must be really pleasing for you yes

4:47 of course of course but uh I was getting balance during the game as well how we

4:53 started how we were progressively responding our plan

4:58 how the players as well they were getting

5:03 individual tasks strongly and through it scoring one goal,

5:07 through it scoring the second goal.

5:09 I think was the match was going going forward

5:12 like we planned and I try it to be always

5:16 getting balance and respecting the opponent each moment respecting

5:19 the opponent and through it as well imposing like we did.

5:22 Uh really fantastic.

5:24 Of course, the result then for nil is

5:27 a a very great achievement with with goal we score it.

5:32 But uh overall how serious match we played,

5:36 how serious we are respecting this competition

5:41 and how we are getting the the final.

5:45 It has been 44 years since Aston Villa have been in a major European final.

5:49 You could see what it meant to the fans at the end there.

5:52 Some of these fans have never seen that and some

5:55 have been waiting a really long time to see it again.

5:59 To win is very difficult and visualize uh the final

6:04 was not uh in my mind until now after the game

6:07 today because the only visualization I had before was uh

6:12 the match we played today and now we are going to visualize.

6:15 We are going to try to enjoy as well the process

6:16 we have free German team always very difficult and of course

6:21 we have one very huge motivation now to play this final

6:25 and to do the travel with the supporter to Estanbul

6:28 Vtor commiserations obviously not the night you wanted out there

6:31 tonight what are your overall thoughts on your team's performance

6:36 you know to compete uh to compete in a semi-final um

6:42 to to compete against this kind against a team as uh as Aston Villa,

6:50 we need everyone in conditions to to to compete.

6:55 And if you look for the the game on the bench,

6:59 we had three players on the bench because

7:01 the other ones u they went in the bench.

7:04 But uh injury mean if you look for the for the our bench today,

7:10 the only the only solutions that we had was um

7:13 from from the first first team was uh was um Bakqua uh Luca.

7:23 Bakqua Luca Morelo we try but injury injury is not is not is not

7:31 in conditions and um and and yet and this is very short to come

7:39 here without solutions uh playing a game

7:45 against against Chelsea against Chelsea traveling

7:49 again come here after three days and this is this is was not possible.

7:54 Was not possible.

7:55 Very proud of our our supporters because they they help us.

7:58 They try um in this long road to to to help us.

8:02 Well, today was not possible to is a pity

8:06 but but the team is not proud of my players because

8:10 they try everything but in the end we didn't have

8:14 the the conditions the the conditions to compete for this game.

8:18 I just want to ask you about the penalty incident that Meenovic gave away.

8:23 Have you seen it?

8:24 What are your thoughts on it?

8:26 I didn't see but uh but I tell you I tell you one thing.

8:29 I um this referee was a very good referee but not

8:32 for us but not for us because uh a lot of yellow cards,

8:36 a lot of fouls but they he he a lot of fs against us.

8:43 the other fles against them he forget to but he he he avoids um he avoid

8:51 know he permit a lot of of the aggressiveness but in the end in the end

8:57 I don't want to to to to put to to arrange excuse in the end uh

9:04 to resume uh today we were not in in our level to compete for this semi-final

9:12 when you Hey, you weren't at the level to compete.

9:15 Obviously, you've mentioned the the squad issues you had

9:17 and the fact you played on Monday as well.

9:19 Did you feel like your intensity levels

9:20 were there and they matched Aston Villa tonight?

9:24 You know, out, Morgan out, Sangare out, Muro out, Callum out, Dana Doy out.

9:39 You know, you look for the squad.

9:41 If you look look for the squad to to to bring the the the squad,

9:46 we uh we put three players injury on the bench and we brought more three players

9:53 for from the the academy and to compete in a semi-final

9:57 uh in these conditions after the game against Chelsea.

10:02 It's not, you know, that's that's why I I I'm saying to you that we didn't have

10:07 the the the conditions to compete here in the level

10:10 that that um demands this this this kind of game.

10:14 And just finally, Vtor, obviously,

10:16 it's been an incredible journey to even get to this point.

10:19 Do you feel like in a matter of time you will be able to look back fondly

10:22 on the journey that you've come on and and the the brilliant

10:24 run you've been on recently as well?

10:26 Of course.

10:26 Of course.

10:27 Of course.

10:27 You know this is this is the the the ending was not

10:31 the the the in the way that we uh

10:33 that we we of course we we create expectations.

10:37 We we we want to to to to to get

10:43 different result but today was not possible was not possible.

10:47 We try the players they try.

10:49 I hope that um we'll not have uh another

10:54 injury because you know we have games we have

10:57 the games to play and now just to focus

11:00 in to keep the the club in in the Premier League.

11:03 Ryan commiserations tonight.

11:05 What did you make of that?

11:06 I know you watched the first half from the bench,

11:08 but what did you make of the overall game?

11:11 I think Aston Villa firstly were were fantastic tonight.

11:15 Um, you know, we wanted to come here quiet in the crowd and uh,

11:18 we we couldn't really get a foothold in the game.

11:20 I think, you know, it was important that we got to halftime

11:23 at nil nil and reassessed and they obviously got that first goal and yeah,

11:27 it was it was tough to break the momentum.

11:29 Why do you think you struggled to get into this game so much?

11:32 Because from what we've seen from Forest recently,

11:34 it's been that was a performance that's been unlike you.

11:38 Yeah, I agree.

11:38 I think firstly, like I say,

11:40 you have to give credit to to Aston Villa how they played.

11:43 Um, they were fired up.

11:45 I think I think we were too, but I think it's it's fine margins.

11:48 I think, you know, at one all I think a harsh decision goes against us.

11:51 Um, I'm not saying we we haven't had a few of them in the Europa League as well,

11:54 but yeah, it's fine details and then the game opens up and and we got punished.

11:59 What harsher decision were you talking about?

12:01 Just a penalty, I think.

12:02 you know, when you when you slow it down in in real time,

12:05 everyone's grabbing shirts, you know,

12:06 but when you slow it down and the shirts away from the body,

12:09 it does look like a penalty,

12:11 but like I say, that's that's not taken away from how how good Aston Villa were,

12:15 how many, you know, chances they created,

12:16 but you know, then things can can change a side.

12:20 What was the message from your manager then to come on in the second half?

12:23 What what did Forest need to change?

12:26 I think we need to be a little bit more physical.

12:27 I think we need to win more jewels um all over the pitch,

12:30 win more second balls, get ourselves up the pitch.

12:32 Um you know, and most importantly, keep keep hold of the ball.

12:35 I think, you know, we were turning the ball over a little bit sloppily and yeah,

12:39 their crowd were in fantastic voice and yeah,

12:42 we we just couldn't stop the momentum and and in the end it told.

12:45 Did you think you just ran out of steam for their third and fourth goals?

12:49 Yeah, I think so.

12:50 When you when you give spaces to to a top side, they they punish you, you know.

12:54 Um, I'm not sure how many shots they had,

12:56 but they were they're extremely clinical and yeah,

12:58 sometimes you have to hold your hands up and and learn from it.

13:00 And just finally, Ryan, I know obviously it wasn't the outcome you wanted,

13:04 but do you think in time you'll look back on what has been

13:07 an incredible period and an incredible run

13:09 getting to the semi-finals of the Europa League?

13:12 Yeah, it doesn't feel like that now to be honest,

13:13 but yeah, we've we've been on an incredible journey um this season.

13:17 It's been full of ups and downs and yeah, we want to finish the the campaign

13:22 in the Premier League as as strongly as possible.

13:23 We're in we're in fantastic form apart from tonight and yeah,

13:26 that's what we're aiming on and yeah,

13:28 thank you so much to all the supporters and yeah,

13:30 sorry we couldn't make it to to a stumble.

13:32 Well, congratulations.

13:33 That went about as well as it could do.

13:35 Yeah, it was a a special night.

13:37 Um felt the pressure today.

13:39 Uh the expectation was high.

13:41 Uh we had to turn up and and we did.

13:43 What a performance for the the first minute.

13:45 Intense.

13:47 um aggressive but quality in the end and in the second

13:50 half we were outstanding and some great finishes in the second half

13:53 and and the noise from the crowd was that create pressure or ease it

13:57 no ease the pressure I think the it's

13:58 the loudest I've ever heard Villa Park in the warm-up

14:01 um and we fed off that energy and coming

14:04 out it was electric and um I think the squad

14:08 knew the importance of this game we knew what

14:10 it would take to get to a final but uh

14:12 we're so close now to to writing ourselves in history

14:14 books and that's what we've got to focus on.

14:17 Um I think the finals in 13 days.

14:20 We've got a league game on Sunday to try and get us top five.

14:23 If we can get that, we can prepare for the the final

14:25 the best way possible and um and write ourselves into history books.

14:28 Have you been to Istanbul before?

14:30 I have.

14:31 Um I think I'm trying to think where I've been.

14:34 No, I've been to the airport.

14:35 Um I've been to the airport.

14:36 It's a nice airport.

14:37 Um but hopefully we can sneak in the back somewhere.

14:40 And you know, if you score a hattick in the final,

14:42 you could end up top scorer hopefully.

14:44 Yeah.

14:44 But if if Ollie scores a hat trick

14:46 and I'm I'm way behind them, I'd be delighted.

14:48 I just want to get my hands on that trophy in um whatever way possible.