Aston Villa boss Unai Emery on coaching Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and the importance of fit-again Boubacar Kamara

“I'm very happy for him, but hopefully he won't perform at his best on Sunday!”

Unai Emery beams a big smile. Nicolas Jackson will pose a major threat to his Aston Villa side when they visit Chelsea on Super Sunday, but Emery knows the striker better than most.

The Villa boss handed Jackson his first-team debut with Villarreal in 2021. When the in-form Chelsea forward signed a contract extension at Stamford Bridge in September, he made a point of thanking Emery for the technical and tactical development that he gave him during their entire season. season together in Spain.

“He started pre-season with the U21s and when he gradually came to train with us, he showed his potential,” Emery recalled while speaking to Sky Sports at Villa's training ground.

“We worked on his skills for a year, he improved his understanding of how to use his potential. And gaining playing time and experiences was the next step.

“But also his attitude was fantastic. He was always learning. He always demanded to train more, to be focused. He was also a professional every day outside of training at home, because he was focused on football as the first priority .” in his life.

“And the consequences are coming. It's because he signed for Chelsea. Last year he adapted so quickly, but he kept getting better – sometimes without the performances – and now he's showing it.”

Emery is known for his ability to get the best out of players. Morgan Rogers is among his current crop of rapidly improving individuals. The young England international revealed that when he was signed by Villa, Emery told him he would still see him as a champion player until he showed his head coach otherwise. Rogers rose to the challenge, although Emery says much more could come from the midfielder. 'His potential? We have only used 50 percent at the moment.'

This drive for improvement is something that Emery applies throughout the club. Last season he led Villa to the top four and qualification for the Champions League. But now he challenges everyone involved to keep growing. Although they are currently seven games without a win, last month's historic 1-0 win over Bayern Munich at Villa Park underlined the progress made since the Spaniard took over a club only marginally above the relegation zone in October 2022. .

“We try to use our experiences,” said Emery a few days after the draw with the Italian giants. Juventus kept Villa well in the hunt for a place in the knockout rounds of the Champions League. “The Champions League is another step forward.”

Amid this poor run of results, Emery is keeping perspective. Villa couldn't get a final winner against Juve but Emery was pleased with the performance, “how seriously we played, how we were really organized and disciplined”.

Clean sheets have been difficult to come by in the Premier League but the visitors were largely limited at Villa Park, with Emi Martinez coming to the rescue with a super save as Juventus finally had a chance.

Kamara is a key figure for Villa again

Boubacar Kamara was a key figure. The French midfielder has only just returned from an ACL injury that has sidelined him since February, but he has hit the ground running, making an immediate impact on the team and the security he brings with his tackles. and impressive ball handling is clearly visible. to see.

“When we got here, the first months we worked with him, he wasn't really settled here, like he was playing in Marseille,” Emery said. “It was the adjustment. But gradually he improved, he felt better and more comfortable with the ball, without the ball.”

“When he got injured last year, I think he was at his best moment in his development here. But his comeback has been really strong. We saw him play at a very good level on Wednesday and really play like he has never been injured before been.” eight months. It's a very good impact.

“Of course he was a very important player before his injury and now he is coming back, a very important player for us.”

Kamara will certainly be a key player for Villa on Sunday as they look to restrict Jackson and co at Stamford Bridge.

Villa have finished above Chelsea in each of Emery's two seasons so far. Doing this for a third time will be a real challenge given how well the Blues have started the season under Enzo Maresca.

“We [started] This season we are not contenders to finish in the top seven,” said Emery, once again trying to put Villa's situation into perspective. 'There are other teams [who are] contenders more than us and were in favor of being there.

“But we can be there like last year or two years ago because we were intelligent and very demanding.

“Everyone is trying to become very, very competitive. And this is now the more difficult challenge we have.

“We face a very good team on Sunday; it is very good how they feel now with the coach and with the players they have. It is very difficult, but we want to compete there.”

“We want to be motivated and excited with the opportunity to play a good match there and get the points.” That would be another important – and timely – step forward for Emery's Villa side.