Robbie Keane offered no excuses after watching his Maccabi Tel Aviv side suffer a comprehensive 4-0 defeat against Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night. The former Tottenham and Liverpool striker delivered a brutally honest assessment of his team's performance at the Toto Stadium in Beer-Sheva.
Dominant Villa Show Their Class
Unai Emery's Premier League outfit demonstrated their quality with a commanding display that left the Israeli champions chasing shadows for much of the contest. The visitors established their dominance early and never looked back, securing a victory that puts them in a strong position to progress in the competition.
"They were better than us in every department," Keane admitted frankly during his post-match press conference. "Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say the better team won, and tonight that was certainly the case."
No Illusions About Performance Gap
The Irishman refused to sugarcoat the nature of the defeat or search for mitigating circumstances. His candid appraisal highlighted the gulf in quality between the two sides on the night, with Villa's clinical finishing and tactical discipline proving too much for his team to handle.
"We knew coming into this game how good Aston Villa are," Keane continued. "They're a top Premier League side with excellent players and a world-class manager. We prepared as well as we could, but they were simply on another level tonight."
Learning Experience for Israeli Side
Despite the heavy scoreline, Keane emphasised the importance of using such challenging encounters as learning opportunities for his squad. Facing elite European opposition provides valuable experience that can contribute to his team's development in the long term.
The defeat leaves Maccabi Tel Aviv with work to do in their European campaign, while Aston Villa continue their impressive form under Unai Emery, establishing themselves as one of the favourites to lift the trophy in what would be a significant European achievement for the Birmingham club.
