Graham Potter reveals Unai Emery exchange as Aston Villa seek Chelsea repeat

Former Chelsea head coach Graham Potter has revealed what Unai Emery said to him after his last match as Blues boss.

Aston Villa came away from Stamford Bridge as 2-0 winners back in April 2023 in what proved to be the final straw for Chelsea as they sacked Solihull-born Potter a day later.

The ex-Brighton and Swansea boss spent just under seven months in charge in West London and has recently revealed that the Villa's Spanish gaffer sent him away with positive words after the defeat.

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Speaking on The High Performance Podcast, Potter said: “We lost to Aston Villa. That was the game we lost, it was our final game. My assistant’s friends with Unai and Unai was like, ‘You played well, pushed us back and you didn’t deserve to lose’."

Emery's side were clinical that day, scoring two of their five shots all game whereas Chelsea were much the opposite, failing to convert from 27 attempts at goal.

The Villans will be hoping for a repeat of the scoreline a year and a half ago but this time with a performance to match it as they face a newly-revived Blues side under Enzo Maresca.

In a sticky patch of form, Villa lie in eighth and without a win in four Premier League games compared to Maresca's side who are unbeaten in their last four and sit in third.

Emery's Lions face Juventus before their Sunday lunchtime trip to the capital in what is a tough week of fixtures heading towards the Christmas period.