Josep Gombau praised his side’s resilience after Aston Villa Under-19s booked their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Youth League with a 2-1 win over Puskás Akadémia.
The Young Lions raced into a two-goal lead within 10 minutes of the start of the second half at the Pancho Aréna, though the deficit was halved with 10 minutes to play, making for a nervy ending.
The Villans successfully saw out the closing stages to book secure their spot in the round of 16, and Gombau was pleased to have progressed.
“We are very happy with the win, and I think that we deserved it,” he said.
“I think that the team did very well the first 75 minutes. It’s true, that the last 15 we struggled a little bit, but it’s normal in youth football.
“After being 2-0 up with a bit of extra confidence, maybe we lost a bit of our structure. But at the end, the important thing is that we did a very good game, and got the result.”
With the last 16 draw to take place in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday, Gombau already has one eye on the next round, and is determined to keep the winning mentality within his side.
He praised their ability to cope with vocal support from the local supporters in Hungary, and believes the players will have taken a lot from the experience.
Villa’s Under-21 Head Coach added: “In youth football, in the academy these kinds of experiences allow the players to grow, and to be competitive, and one day to be professional footballers.
“Today is the most similar thing that you can face, playing away in a very good stadium but with some fans who are putting pressure on you.
“It’s a good experience, we did well, and now looking forward for the draw, and to try to have another experience, game by game.
“To be a part of this competition is something big for us. The players are enjoying a lot, and looking forward on Friday to see which team we will face, and after that prepare the game as a final.
“Every game is a final, and if you want to keep playing in this competition, you have to win every game.”
