Villarreal star talks Champions League, working for Unai Emery and dealing with Liverpool

On Sunday afternoon, Arnaut Danjuma sat on his couch to observe the Merseyside derby. Villarreal did not have a sport on the weekend as a result of Copa del Rey last, so it gave the Dutch winger an ideal alternative to observe Liverpool, the workforce he’ll face Wednesday of their Champions League semifinal, first leg.

To be clear, there was nothing Danjuma did not know already about Jurgen Klopp’s workforce: He is a type of gamers who’s a soccer fanatic in his free time as properly. He simply loves the sport — loves enjoying it, watching it and speaking about it, however the principle motive he watches is to be taught. Find out about his opponents, study what different forwards do, study get higher and emulate different forwards. And, in doing so, get higher himself.

“I watch all the pieces,” he tells ESPN. “I’m a fan to begin with and since I need to change into among the finest on this planet, watching a number of soccer will enhance my abilities. Watching can train you a large number. I additionally do a number of evaluation alone video games. One hour on daily basis, I watch clips of myself in video games or coaching. I’ve a private striker coach, Antonio Rodriguez, working with me. We scrutinise all the pieces collectively.

“In trendy soccer, it is not nearly your expertise. It is also about soccer intelligence and the quantity of labor you place in outdoors of the pitch. There’s a lot you may be taught by simply watching your self again. After which, you additionally be taught quite a bit by watching your opponents.”

So on Sunday, his full focus was on Liverpool: how they performed, how they arrange, their patterns of play, their motion. There’s quite a bit to be impressed with with regards to Liverpool this season. Nonetheless, it is not the strategy that Danjuma or Villarreal are taking.

“The easiest way of approaching this sport is to strategy it in the identical as we did earlier than,” he stated. “We now have crushed some European giants alongside the way in which already, which is already an achievement and we’re all assured in our personal potential. We should always maintain doing what now we have been doing and imagine in our personal technique.”

The “Yellow Submarine” could have the identical mindset that they had towards Juventus and Bayern Munich within the two earlier rounds. In each ties, they shocked everybody, not simply by getting via however by the way in which they did it. Their journey thus far on this competitors has been distinctive. They completed second in a gaggle with Manchester United, Younger Boys and Atalanta, charging their strategy to the semifinals with big victories away at Atalanta to qualify for the last-16, in Turin towards Juventus to guide their place within the quarterfinals, and at house towards Bayern to defy all the percentages over the 2 legs, eliminating the Bundesliga champions 2-1 on mixture.

“Perhaps the remainder of the world did not anticipate us to get this far, however now we have at all times been assured,” Danjuma stated. “Our path to the semis was not straightforward, which makes it even higher, however you do not beat the groups now we have crushed by coincidence, which is an effective signal for us earlier than dealing with Liverpool — one other big and among the finest golf equipment on this planet.”

“We confirmed towards Juve and Bayern that it is not luck. We now have a technique — a method of play. Juve and Bayern are two completely totally different groups. Juventus are among the finest defensive groups on this planet, whereas Bayern have a number of the finest forwards on this planet and play very attacking soccer. For us to have the ability to beat them confirmed our high quality and technique. With Liverpool, we all know what we’ll face.”

All weekend, Emery and his gamers labored on their tactical plan for the primary leg at Anfield on Wednesday. As soon as once more, they have been meticulous of their preparations: via video evaluation and reps on the coaching pitch, they have been getting ready what to do with the ball and with out the ball, in addition to attempt to pinpoint the weaknesses in Liverpool’s defence.

“Emery is particular: he is one of many essential explanation why I got here to Villarreal,” Danjuma stated. “It is such a privilege to work underneath him as a coach. He’s so open with the gamers and I’m studying a lot from him. It’s actually satisfying to work with him. He is without doubt one of the finest. He’s totally different.”

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One among Emery’s largest achievements with Villarreal thus far this season is the flexibility he has instilled in his gamers, which has given them confidence towards any opponent.

“One among our essential strengths is to have the ability to execute what the supervisor desires in an nearly good approach and play otherwise relying on the opponent,” Danjuma stated. “[Emery] is such an elite tactical coach to have. In the event you execute his sport plan, you could have an important probability of profitable no matter who the opponent is. We now have a lot in our locker. We will sit again and play on the counter. We will play with the ball and create. We will do all the pieces.”

Their subsequent problem is arguably their hardest but in on this competitors. Liverpool not solely boast Klopp on the touchline, however a lineup wealthy with expertise like Mohamed Salah, Thiago, Sadio Mane and Alisson, in addition to the ambiance of Anfield’s Kop and the membership’s plain pedigree in Europe as one in every of simply 4 golf equipment to win Europe’s prime membership competitors greater than 5 occasions.

“The 2 issues that amaze me [about Liverpool] are the extraordinary excessive press — they do this so properly — and the excessive defensive position. As a ahead, it’s so nice to have a excessive defensive position behind you as a result of it retains you excessive up the pitch.”

After which there’s the determine of Virgil Van Dijk. Danjuma performs with him for the Netherlands and is aware of him properly.

“I need to play towards the perfect to show myself and check myself towards the perfect. That is why I play this sport. Clearly enjoying towards Virg might be particular for me as a result of he’s my captain within the nationwide workforce. Defensively, I do not suppose it will get any higher than him, however I need to rank myself towards the perfect. I feel I’ve proven thus far in my profession that I could cause some harm. I’ve to maintain doing it and be constant, so I am wanting ahead to a sport towards somebody of his profile.”

Is it higher to play towards a buddy and somebody you recognize properly — and who is aware of you properly — or not?

“It is a good query! I do not know. A striker vs. defender battle is sort of a sport of chess. You must keep unpredictable.”

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There’s one other poignant observe for Danjuma as this week marks his first return to England as a participant, lower than a yr after leaving Bournemouth and the Championship for Villarreal.

“England represents nice reminiscences for me. It seems like a homecoming,” he stated. “I had two wonderful years there. It made me extra mature, I developed quite a bit and it took me to the place I’m proper now.

“For me, the Premier League will at all times be totally different than the remainder of the world. It’s the finest league, and also you need to compete there. The ambiance within the stadiums are so particular too. It was a privilege to play there and at all times particular to return again.”

At 25, that is arguably the largest sport of his profession. There might be many extra to return, too, whether or not as a Villarreal participant or suiting up some place else. After only one season at la Ceramica, he is attracting curiosity from the largest golf equipment in Europe. Paris Saint-Germain are large followers; Danjuma additionally impressed Manchester United when he performed them this season and was excellent. He is nonetheless valued extremely in England, in fact, and in Italy. If he comes up large towards Liverpool, anticipate many extra golf equipment to sit down up and take discover.