Javi Gracia has hailed Unai Emery as ‘one of the best coaches in the world’ ahead of Watford’s match with Arsenal on Monday.
Gracia and Emery are good friends after playing alongside each other over 20 years ago for Real Sociedad.
The two are now training-ground neighbours, with Arsenal and Watford’s bases next door to each other in London Colney, and Gracia and Emery have had dinner together this season.
Their friendship will be put to one side on Monday night, though, when Watford welcome Arsenal to Vicarage Road.
However, Gracia has been full of praise for Emery in the build-up to the match as he prepares to go head-to-head with his former team-mate.
“What I can say is that, in my opinion, Unai is one of the best coaches in the world, not only in England,” Gracia said.
“We have a good relationship from the moment we played together in Real Sociedad many, many years ago.
“In different teams we have played against each other, as players first and then as managers as well.
“Always we had a good relationship. Now in this moment we have been one or two times to dinner together. He is a good friend and it will be good to see him again.
“I think as a coach, as a player, you are always what you are from the experiences you have had and what you learned in the past.
“We spent, in the past, some time together and I think we had the same experiences. But I think we have also had different roads as a player and as a coach.”
Watford go into Monday’s match with Arsenal riding the crest of a wave after beating Wolves 3-2 in the semi-finals of the FA Cup last Sunday.
It means the Hornets are in the FA Cup final for only the second time in their history and the first time since 1984 under Graham Taylor.
However, Gracia will not let his players get distracted by their cup final date with Manchester City on May 18 at Wembley.
“In this moment, I prefer to keep the same attitude we had all season,” he said.
“We try to give importance to the next game, the next three points. Our final is to play against Arsenal. It is not in May, it is on Monday.
“That is the mentality we have and that is the mentality I want to keep for the rest of the season.”
Watford have been boosted by the news that semi-final hero Gerard Deulofeu is fit for Monday’s game after coming off injured against Wolves having scored two goals.
However they will be without left-back Jose Holebas, who has picked up a hamstring injury.
Tom Cleverley will also be absent too due to an ongoing calf issue and fellow midfielder Domingos Quina is a doubt due to a shoulder problem picked up in training on Thursday.
