Emery: One Arsenal player took Rennes defeat worse than me
Unai Emery says one unnamed Arsenal player reacted even worse than he did to midweek defeat at Rennes.
Arsenal were comfortably beaten 3-1 on Thursday in a blow to their Europa League hopes.
They face a difficult task to overturn that deficit in the second leg at home next week, but must first take on Manchester United on Sunday.
Emery has called for “big positive energy” from his squad – in particular the one player who was “more sad than me” after the Rennes setback.
“I want the players to help me with big positive energy,” he said.
“One player was worse than me, more down than me, and I said to him: ‘Let’s speak tomorrow as you are more sad than me.’
“I want to listen to players with positive energy. I want to hear them say: ‘We can do it on Sunday.’
“Our target is to play in the Champions League and we know it is not easy.
“We have two possibilities even if we know it is going to be difficult. With this responsibility the players are optimists. We can come with positive spirit and do it. I want to find positive energy.”
