Emery: Flick's imprint is clear, and Barcelona are the strongest candidates to win the Champions League

The Spanish coach believes that Barcelona are capable of beating any team in the world.

Unai Emery hailed Barcelona's attacking firepower as he previewed Aston Villa's Champions League trip to the Catalans on Tuesday. The Spaniard also weighed up his own side's hopes of challenging for the European crown, offered his verdict on several of his players and praised the work of German coach Hansi Flick.

"Barcelona have always been the leading candidate to win the Champions League, and you can pick any five teams to compete for the title, and Barcelona will certainly be among the list of candidates," Emery said in his press conference ahead of the Camp Nou clash. "They were in the past and still are, and if they play at their best level, they are capable of beating any team in the world."

Turning to Barcelona's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the last round, he added: "It was a very balanced and open match, and in the end Paris Saint-Germain won, but it was a high-level encounter that either team could have won, and in my opinion, they are the two most likely teams to reach the final."

What about the loss to Real Madrid and its effect on the Catalans? "The situation was different against Real Madrid, and Barcelona looked like they needed some adjustments," he explained, according to the newspaper "AS". "There were clearly some absences in the defensive line, and that perhaps played a role in the final result."

The Aston Villa boss then singled out the strength of Barcelona's engine room. "Rodri is the best midfielder in the world, and if we combine him with Pedri and Fermín, then Barcelona have a midfield that is difficult for any team to get past," he said.

Barcelona's forwards drew similar praise. "Raphinha and Lamine Yamal are wonderful players, and few teams have such attacking quality, and at the moment, Lamine is the player closest to the title of the best player in the world," Emery added.

Flick's influence came next. "Flick's imprint is clear," he said. "He took charge just over two years ago, and he is working on building a winning team with a distinctive character, a team that makes you enjoy watching football, and he has an unwavering commitment to attacking."

On Villa's own preparations, Emery was realistic. "We are trying to find our way. We have been together for four years, and we are looking for new challenges and learning how to face teams like Barcelona, given the big gap between us and them, but we know they are the leading candidates to win, and they will demand a lot from us, and we must be up to the responsibility if we want to avoid losing everything."

He signed off by pointing to the weight Barcelona carry as title favourites. "They face greater pressure because they are among the four most likely teams to win the tournament, but we are talking about players who feel comfortable under this pressure, and are accustomed to performing when they are the leading candidates."