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Unai Emery ‘happy but cautious’ after Villarreal’s first leg Champions League win over Bayern Munich

Villarreal take a slender lead into the second leg in Germany after Arnaut Danjuma’s first half strike

Reuters
Thursday 07 April 2022 10:22 BST
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Emery continued his sensational record in European knockout games at El Madrigal on Wednesday night
Emery continued his sensational record in European knockout games at El Madrigal on Wednesday night (AFP via Getty Images)

Villarreal coach Unai Emery said their 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday will count for nothing if they fail to finish the job in Germany next week.

Dutch forward Arnaut Danjuma’s eighth-minute strike powered Villarreal to victory over six-times European champions Bayern, but the Spanish side could have scored more after creating a hatful of chances in a frantic match.

“We are here to try to compete and reach the semi-finals. We are not going to dwell on how well we played today, that we have won and that we have competed and been better against Bayern,” Emery told reporters.

“I am happy but cautious. We have 90 minutes left and I want to beat Bayern, knowing that it is very difficult.

“And if I don’t beat them I’m not going to be satisfied, I’m going to be frustrated, regardless of whether we played a good game today.”

The second leg will be held at the Allianz Arena in Munich next Tuesday. Before that, Villarreal, who are seventh in LaLiga, host Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

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