Edinson Cavani speaks highly of former manager Unai Emery

Emery, who will be leading Villarreal in the Europa League final against Manchester United, had coached Cavani during his stint at PSG.

Edinson Cavani in a file photo; Credit: Manchester United Twitter
By Karthik Raman | May 25, 2021 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Edinson Cavani praised his former manager Unai Emery, saying he “really liked his way of working”. When Emery managed Paris Saint-Germain from 2016 to 2018, Cavani was leading their forward line. Both of them will meet once again on Wednesday night when the Uruguayan’s current club Manchester United take on Emery-led Villarreal in the Europa League final. The 34-year-old striker has shown plenty of respect for the 49-year-old Spaniard ahead of the big final.

“From the moment Unai arrived at Paris, he showed his passion for football,” Edinson told UEFA in an interview. “I really liked his way of working; he is a coach who’s going to work a lot and prepare really well for the Europa League final. He’s definitely going to analyse it very well.

“I know from my own experience that it’s the small details that determine these kinds of games; they are won in the small aspects, and for that you need to be very focused. You have to play a perfect match. I know that Unai is like that: he’s a hard-working coach. And that is why he has won titles, trophies wherever he’s worked.”

After coaching PSG, Emery endured a difficult time at Arsenal. Hence, the final on Wednesday will be a perfect way for the Spanish coach to lay down a marker. On the other hand, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be looking to win his first trophy as the Manchester United manager.

Importance of fans

The Red Devils finished second in the recently concluded Premier League season. For their last home match against Fulham, around 10,000 supporters returned to Old Trafford. Cavani, who scored a screamer that day, spoke about the importance of having fans in the stands.

“I’ve always said that football is all about the people who make it happen and experience it with this passion which they give to you in a stadium,” Edinson added.

“It’s pure passion over the 90 minutes, the connection between the player and the fan. All of these months with no fans has been tough. It’s been a loss to what the essence of football is, and I think the fact that now the fans will be coming back to the stadiums gradually will help a lot.

“All the more so at a team like Manchester United, which has a fiery and passionate fanbase. I think it will be great. Let’s hope that everything starts to go back to normal.”





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