"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 No, amazing, amazing.

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

0:09 And they've got some good players.

0:11 And to be fair, they they deserved the win, I felt, in the in the first game.

0:15 But it was always going to be difficult here for them at Villa Park.

0:17 And you know, we've been looking forward to this for for weeks since we played.

0:21 Obviously, the poor performance against Tottenham.

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

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

0:29 You were winning every battle, every jewel out there, Emi.

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

0:37 They showed some character in the in the in the first in the first leg.

0:41 And and we knew from the beginning we

0:42 needed to to start strong here with our fans, with our supporters.

0:46 They were the the 12th man.

0:47 And I think everyone ran 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 we can play.

0:58 And and and and we show it today.

1:00 I think the the result is is amazing.

1:02 And I think we deserve this.

1:04 You were pushing for the goal.

1:06 Who's going to claim this?

1:06 Because you tapped it in, but ultimately,

1:09 was it Emi that created that allowed you to get in that position?

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

1:14 I had to tap it in.

1:14 But that's what I want to do.

1:17 But yeah, amazing amazing goal and assist for him today.

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

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

1:25 We're all We're all amazing, I thought.

1:27 Emi, I'm going to say you were the coolest man

1:29 in Villa Park when you put that ball on the penalty spot.

1:32 Because let me tell you, I was sat amongst the fans.

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

1:36 No, I 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.

1:48 And I I knew it 100% what I wanted to do.

1:51 And yeah, goal to help the team.

1:54 And then But after that, the team is still fighting,

1:57 going forward, pressing high,

1:59 and and and we wanted more, and we we create a 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 final,

2:13 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 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, so yeah, we're in a great position,

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

2:29 Well, yeah, it's looking like you're I think it is Freiburg.

2:32 Freiburg, it looks like in the final for your boys now.

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

2:37 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, I think the prestige to to to win to win a trophy,

2:48 and obviously for this club with the history that this club got,

2:52 it is an amazing uh We know that the fans there really

2:56 really want this this trophy for for us, and we will fight.

3:01 It's a final.

3:02 We need to prepare well, and and and keep going in the Premier League as well,

3:06 because we want to finish as as top as possible.

3:09 Lovely.

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

3:10 You're okay.

3:11 You got a knock on the head, but you're all right.

3:13 You're all right.

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

3:14 We are looking forward to it.

3:15 Well done.

3:16 Unai, massive congratulations.

3:18 You're on the way to Istanbul.

3:19 Can you just sum up the game and how you feel right now?

3:24 Uh good evening.

3:25 Very happy mm to to enjoy this momentum with the supporters,

3:32 and um in Villa Park, this semi-final second leg here.

3:37 Of course, we needed them, and they supported us.

3:40 It was a great atmosphere today.

3:43 And the players, they responded fantastic after the first leg,

3:47 how we were planning the match today, how how prepared the days before,

3:52 and on the field they were totally so so focused.

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

3:57 They were winning every battle.

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

4:03 We needed to improve things we didn't do well the first leg in in in Nottingham.

4:08 Of course, playing away and in their stadium with their atmosphere,

4:13 but we were focusing a lot preparing the game

4:17 today to change some things and improving things,

4:21 and one of them was get the jewels

4:25 and try to press better on the field stopping them,

4:30 and through it progressively dominate and impose,

4:33 and of course with their quality to win.

4:36 Some fantastic goals as well tonight.

4:38 To win by such a deficit, a 4-0 deficit, that must be really pleasing for you.

4:46 Yes, of course.

4:48 Of course, but I was getting balance during the game as well.

4:52 How we started, how we were progressively responding our plan,

4:58 how the players as well they were getting individual tasks strongly,

5:05 and through it scoring one goal, through it scoring the second goal.

5:08 I think was the match was going going forward like we planned.

5:13 And I tried it to be always getting balance

5:16 and respecting the opponent each moment respecting the opponent,

5:20 and through it as well imposing like we did.

5:23 Really fantastic of course the result at the end 4-0 is

5:26 a a very great achievement with with goal we scored it,

5:31 but 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 through it.

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 The win is very difficult and visualize uh

6:03 the final was not in my mind until now

6:07 after the game today because the only big visualization

6:10 I had before was the match we played today.

6:13 And now we are going to visualize we are going

6:15 to try to enjoy as well the process we have.

6:17 Freiburg, German team,

6:19 always very difficult and of course we have one very huge motivation now

6:24 to play this final and to do the travel with the supporter to Istanbul.

6:28 Victor, congratulations.

6:29 Obviously not the night you wanted out there tonight.

6:32 What are your overall thoughts on your team's performance?

6:36 You know, to compete to compete in a semi-final to to compete against this kind

6:44 of against a team as as Aston Villa

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

6:55 If you look for the the game on the bench we had three players

7:00 on the bench because the other ones they went in the bench but injury.

7:06 I mean if you look for the the for the our bench

7:09 today the only the only solutions that we had was um from from the first

7:14 first team was uh was Baqua uh Luca Baqua, Luca Morello uh we try but injury.

7:29 Injury is not is not is not in conditions and and and yet

7:37 and this is very short to come

7:39 here without solutions playing a game against against

7:46 Chelsea against Chelsea traveling again coming here after 3 days and this is

7:52 this is was not possible was not

7:54 possible very proud of our our supporters because

7:57 they they they help us and they try in this long road to to to help

8:02 us today was not possible to as a pity but but the team

8:07 is not proud of my player because they try everything but in the end

8:13 we didn't have the the conditions the the conditions to compete for this game.

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

8:23 Have you seen it?

8:24 What are your thoughts on it?

8:25 I didn't see but but I tell you I tell you one thing

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

8:33 for us because uh a lot of yellow cards a lot of fouls but they

8:38 they he he he he a lot of fouls against us the other fouls

8:45 against them he forget to but he he he avoids he avoids he permits

8:51 a lot of the aggressiveness but in the end in the end I don't

8:57 want to to to to put to to arrange an excuse in the end

9:03 to resume today we were not in in our level to compete for this semi-final.

9:12 When you say you weren't at the level to compete obviously you've mentioned

9:15 that the squad issues you had 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's tonight?

9:24 You know All I know is out Morgan out Sangaré

9:32 out Morelos out Callum out Danilho Dykes out you know

9:40 you look for the squad you look for look

9:42 for the squad to to to bring the the the squad.

9:46 We we put three players injury on the bench

9:50 and we brought more three players for from the the academy.

9:55 And to compete in a semi-final in these conditions after the game against

10:00 Chelsea um it's not you know that's that's why I I I'm saying

10:06 to you that we didn't have the the the conditions to compete here

10:09 in the level that that demands the the this this kind of game.

10:14 And just finally Vitor,

10:15 obviously 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

10:21 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 of course of course you know this is this is the the the ending

10:30 was not the the the way in the way that we that we

10:34 we of course we we create expectations we we we want

10:38 to to to to to to get an different

10:44 result but today was not possible was not possible.

10:47 We try the players they try.

10:49 I hope that we'll not have another injury because you

10:54 know we have games we have the the the games

10:57 to play and now just to focus in to keep

11:01 the the the club in the in the Premier League.

11:03 Ryan, congratulations 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 quiet the quiet the crowd

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

11:20 I think you know it it was important that we got to half time at nil nil

11:24 and reassessed and they obviously got that first goal

11:26 and it was it was tough to break the momentum.

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

11:32 so much 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.

11:47 I think, you know, at 1-1, 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 harsh decision were you talking about?

12:01 Just the penalty, I think, you know,

12:03 when you when you slow it down in in real time,

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

12:07 but when you slow it down and the shirt's away from the body,

12:09 it does look like a penalty, but like I say,

12:11 that's that's not taking away from how how good Aston Villa are and how many,

12:15 you know, chances they created, but, you know,

12:17 that them things can can change a side.

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

12:22 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 duels, um all over the pitch,

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

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

12:36 You know, we were turning the ball over a little bit sloppily,

12:38 and yeah, their crowd were in fantastic voice,

12:41 and yeah, we we just couldn't stop the momentum, and in the end it it told.

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

12:49 Yeah, I think so.

12:49 When you when you give spaces to to a a top side,

12:52 they they punish you, you know.

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

12:56 but they were they were extremely clinical,

12:57 and yeah, 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,

13:03 but do you think in time you'll look back on what has been

13:06 an incredible period and an incredible run

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

13:12 Yeah, I don'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

13:21 in the Premier League as as strongly as possible.

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

13:26 and yeah, 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 Istanbul.

13:32 Well, congratulations.

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

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

13:38 Felt the pressure today.

13:39 The expectation was high.

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

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

13:45 Intense, aggressive, but quality in the end and the second half

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

13:53 And and the noise from the crowd was that create pressure or is it?

13:57 No, it eased the pressure.

13:57 I think it's the loudest I've ever heard Villa Park in the warm-up.

14:01 Um and we fed off that energy and coming out it was

14:05 electric and I think the squad knew the importance of this game.

14:09 We knew what it would take to get to a final,

14:11 but we're so close now to to write ourselves

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

14:18 I think the final's 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 and write ourselves in the history books.

14:28 Have you been to Istanbul before?

14:30 I have.

14:32 I think I'm trying to think where I've been.

14:33 No, I've been to the airport.

14:36 I've been to the airport.

14:36 It's a nice airport.

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

14:40 And you know, if he scores a hat-trick in the final,

14:42 you could end up top scorer hopefully.

14:44 Yeah, but if if Ollie scores a hat-trick

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

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