An ode, a hymn, almost a hagiography.
A few hours from the quarter-final return which will oppose his team to Bayern Munich, it is a very beautiful professional declaration that the midfielder of Villarreal, Étienne Capoue made to Unai Emery, his coach in Spain.
In an interview given to our colleagues from L'Équipe, the tricolor international (7 caps, 1 goal) indeed said all the good things he thought of the Basque technician, who has been leading the former club of Robert Pirès since 2020.
"He's an incredible coach, a football encyclopedia," explained the former Toulouse player.
Tactically, he is always one step ahead.
He predicts everything that will happen in the game.
In training, we work on tactics and I say to myself: ''If it works this weekend, it's strong.'' And that's what is happening!
The coach is too smart.
It is a pity that he did not succeed in the big clubs where he went.
If all the players were as invested as him, he would be much more recognized.
He knows how to adapt to the opponent and to the qualities of his players.
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Qualities that he has not always been able to highlight during his time at PSG.
Between 2016 and 2018, Emery will certainly have allowed the club of the capital to glean the trifle of 7 trophies, but in spite of the two Trophées des Champions, the two Coupes de la Ligue and France as well as the title of champion won, the Spaniard will also remain one of the sad figures of the comeback experienced against Barcelona (6-1) in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
An image far from that conveyed by Capoue which places Emery, the only coach to have won the Europa League four times, well ahead of the technicians he has worked with.
“It is clearly the coach who brought me the most, he explains.
I skipped classes with him.
With Unai, I learned football at 33!
He is a leader of men who transmits his passion, his energy and always has the right words.
He does everything so that you can shine and you are obliged to give your all for him.
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Words that would echo even more if, this Tuesday evening, he became the first coach to propel Villarreal into the last four of the Champions League since elimination in front of Arsenal during the 2005-2006 season.