Angers-OM: Press conference

the replay of the press conference on Twitch

Emerson Palmieri: ‘First Angers, then Liverpool’

Lessons from the French Cup match

Hello, everyone. It was important to win. It was our duty to play well and score. We're used to having to prepare for different matches. We played on Tuesday, and by Wednesday we were already focused on Saturday's match. We're confident and we can play a great match tomorrow.

Angers – OM and the standings

It's the championship... It proves that the level is high this season. Lens is having a great season. We didn't want to drop points at home against Nantes. The second half of the season is starting, and it's the most important part. That's when we can change our trajectory. It's important to start the second half well and start with three points.

Recovery

We have to understand that we have a lot of games to play. We had already scored four goals in the first half. In my opinion, there was no point in playing 90 minutes. We have a busy schedule. We tried to do our job. We had three days to recover and feel good. We are ready, all the players are 100 per cent fit.

OM's inconsistency

We're working on that, not only on the pitch, but also mentally, on concentration. We have to approach every match as if it were a final. Against Nantes, based on my experience, that's something that doesn't happen. We have to be humble and understand that we can't lose these kinds of matches at home. Against Paris, we showed our true colours. We have to be ourselves, no more, no less. We have to maintain this level until the end of the season.

Positioning

It depends on the system put in place by the coach and the opponent. I feel comfortable in the 3-man build-up phase, when I play further back or wider on the left side. The coach asks different things of me and I feel good where I can help the team. No matter where I play, I want to be useful to the team, to the coach and to help the team.

His season

Thank you... I feel good. Last season, I played but not as much as this season. I can still help the team more. I have that in mind, I think about the upcoming matches, they are opportunities to do better, while thinking about being 100 per cent. The staff are working on that with me and all the players. That's what allows me to do good things when I come on the pitch. I can't be satisfied with what I've done. I want to and I will do more. I want to prove it on the pitch.

OM – Liverpool on my mind

First, we have to think about Angers tomorrow, which will be difficult. We lost points against them. It's a very important match to make up for the points we lost at home. Talking about Liverpool is natural. On Wednesday, the atmosphere will be fantastic, as it always is. There are so many matches in quick succession that we can't afford to miss out on preparing for one match while thinking about the next. First Angers, then Liverpool.

Hamed Traoré

Junior and I are close; he's a friend. He suffered, and so did we. We felt bad for him; he's a top-level professional. We're very happy to be able to count on him again. He'll be able to help us after two or three months off the pitch. He's come back as if he'd never been injured. We hope everything goes well and that we can help him prove his worth here.

Roberto De Zerbi: ‘Criticism won't scare me away, on the contrary!’

Angers and their beautiful game

That's what I saw and thought before the first leg. They are a well-organised team that plays well. You can see the coach's influence. They were one of the best teams in terms of play. No Ligue 1 match is easy. Angers are a mid-table team and one of the best at playing football. I have a lot of respect for the Angers coach.

Himad Abdelli

He's a strong player, like others at Angers. I don't know if he'll play. Out of respect, I don't like to talk about players from other teams. I'm focused on our team, on the physical aspect of my group. If our opponents have strong players and they don't play, so much the better for us.

Criticism and requests

No, criticism will never change my mind about my work and my desire to stay at this club. Some criticism is intended to hurt the club. People criticise an Italian coach, but that won't make me run away, on the contrary.

The departure of Robinio Vaz, the transfer market

Højbjerg, we have denied the information provided by his agent. He wants to stay here. He is one of the most important players, a leader in my team, and I don't see why he should leave. As for reinforcements, we are talking to Benatia and we'll see what we can do.

The state of the troops

Maybe Pavard, it's nothing serious, but I don't know if he'll be able to play. Kondogbia, Vermeeren, we'll have to see. Medina and Emerson came off at the end of the first half to manage them. Everyone is available.

Amine Gouiri / Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

It's the pitch that speaks. We have ideas in mind, but it's what happens on the pitch that counts the most. Gouiri and Aubameyang have different profiles. He needs to recover 100% of his energy, not necessarily by staying on the bench, he can bring a lot to the table in the last few months.