Monchi admits Aston Villa may be slightly favourite against Bologna in the Champions League next week and is convinced that Douglas Luiz will become an ‘important’ Juventus player.
The Spanish director released an interview with Sky Sport Italia on Tuesday evening.
His Aston Villa side will host Bologna in the next Champions League fixture on Tuesday, October 22 and then Juventus on November 27.
Talking about the upcoming match against the Rossoblu, Monchi said: “Being favourites or not changes nothing. Our start of the season has been good. Bologna’s so and so, but it will surely be a challenging game.
“We know Bologna well and know how Italian clubs compete in Europe. We play at Villa Park, so maybe we have a slight advantage, but nothing too relevant because it will be a Champions League game, and Champions League games are always tricky.”
The game against Juventus will be a reunion with their former player, Douglas Luiz, who joined Juventus in a €50m deal last summer but has failed to justify his price tag at the Allianz Stadium so far.
“He’s a strong player. He was a fundamental player to us last season,” said Monchi.
“He played approximately 90% of the minutes. We won many games, and he was a key player. It’s true that changing country and team is always a little problem, but I am convinced that Douglas will slowly find his best path and become an important Juventus player.”
Douglas Luiz has only started one game for the Old Lady this season, causing one penalty kick in each of the last two games against RB Leipzig in the Champions League and Cagliari in Serie A.
Monchi is a former Roma director and the Giallorossi reached the Champions League Final in 2018 under his tenure.
“Those were two marvellous years for me,” insisted Monchi.
“The first season was probably better than the second, but the club and the city will forever be in my heart. I’ve learned so much professionally, leaving Sevilla for the first time. Beating Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals at the Stadio Olimpico is a moment I’ll forever carry in my heart. Also, for the Roma fans who saw a Champions League semi-final for the first time in 25-26 years. I can only say good things about Roma.”
Daniele De Rossi was one of the Roma players during Monchi’s spell. Did he talk to the former midfielder after he was fired less than a month ago?
“No, I didn’t. We had spoken sometimes before, but I didn’t talk to him after that [his sacking],” said the Aston Villa director.
“I’m not there, so there’s nothing I can say. Nobody can question his love for Roma. His path was positive last season, but I don’t know what happened then, so I can’t say more.”