Unai Emery met with the media at Bodymoor Heath on Friday afternoon, to preview Aston Villa's Premier League trip to Brentford on Saturday evening.
The Villans look to make it three wins in a row in all competitions after a midweek Champions League success in Bruges, and head to the capital aiming to complete a league double over Thomas Frank's side.
Emery spoke with the local and national outlets at Villa's training ground today, where Frank and Brentford, fatigue and managing different competitions were all topics of discussion.
Read the key lines from his pre-match press conference below...
On the difficulties between different competitions...
“It’s our challenge. Our challenge is to compete in different competitions, competing like we need.
“Every match we are facing, our challenge at the beginning is to try to compete, and to try to get our performances collectively and individually.”
On Brentford away being a difficult fixture...
“Of course, very difficult. It’s a very tough match for different reasons.
“Of course, because they are performing very well, because they are competing fantastic always with Thomas (Frank) achieving success the years he is a manager at Brentford.
“Every year, something different, even tactically, improving, getting better. I respect them a lot. I respect the manager, I respect the club, I respect the players.
“They have very good players with very good numbers. The strikers, the wingers, the midfielders, they have very good numbers, scoring goals, assists, the players they have.
“And of course tomorrow, we will play performing very good in case we want to win, and we want to compete getting points there.”
On Brentford's home form...
“Sometimes you can perform fantastic, and you are not winning. Sometimes you are not competing well, and you are winning.
“They have different results, but they are performing well, and they are playing some matches not winning but deserving more.
“Always, they are strong at home. Always. Even maybe not getting good results, they are always competing very well, and always difficult for the opponent.”
On Thomas Frank and Brentford generally...
“They are performing very well because they are working very well, it think in everything.
“A new stadium, the new technologies they are using as well in their scouting. The coach is always tactically improving and getting better.
“It’s not the same Brentford I knew when I was here five years ago in Premier League. The Brentford is now with the same coach playing completely different, and always updating the tactical ideas in his team.
“One thing they are not forgetting in their way, is to compete. They can play better, worse, they can play brilliant or less brilliant, but always they are competing.
“Now, their process and their progress and improving is because they are being brilliant more than less, and through it getting their objective.
“Some different players as well, performing very well, improving, like players giving them another level in the Premier League. Of course, everything they are doing has been fantastic.”
On dealing with fatigue...
“Recover, good food, good sleep, try to get again energy and prepare each match with the players they are available, or maybe sometimes even fresh legs we need.
“But it’s our challenge to compete and to our competition, get our objective. The Premier League is the most important for us, always, the first day I was sending the same message, and until the last day in Premier League, the message is the same.
“Through the Premier League, at the beginning, is our objective to get our target in the season.”
