In anticipation of their upcoming clash on the sidelines this weekend, Mauricio Pochettino, the manager of Chelsea, commended the “brilliant coach” Unai Emery of Aston Villa.
Unfortunately, the Blues have had a lackluster start to the new season, with their only league triumph being a 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Luton Town. Aston Villa, on the other hand, has also faced some disappointing results, including a 3-2 loss to Legia Warsaw in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.
Having faced each other numerous times in the Premier League previously, both managers have a history. Emery briefly coached Arsenal while Pochettino was at the helm of their North London rivals Tottenham for five years.
During the pre-match press conference before their Sunday game in West London, Pochettino was questioned about his connection with former bosses of Arsenal, Villareal, and Sevilla, including Emery. He responded, “We share a great bond. He entered the coaching world earlier than me, as he embarked on his journey at a young age, whereas I followed suit later on. We crossed paths while I was in Spain at various clubs. He is an exceptional coach, and I have established a strong relationship with the Aston Villa staff. It will be a pleasure to see him on the touchline.”
