In the second of our exclusive extracts from a new biography of Unai Emery, the Arsenal manager explains his footballing philosophy to author Romain Molina - including his habit of buying books for his players, why he gives such long teamtalks and a brutal experience as a player which shaped his approach to management.

What is football for Unai Emery?

My life? [laughter] When I’m asked to define football, I always talk about emotions, the heart, love. It’s something you feel deep down inside when you enter a stadium, raise your eyes and look at the stands, the fans coming in.

I like to make a tour round the pitch before games, to look at the architecture, the colours in the stadium, the sky, to feel the atmosphere growing.

I’m a great believer in the exchange that goes on between the public and a team. Wherever I’ve been, I’ve tried to soak up the essence of the club, the town, and to transmit that to the players. I don’t think you can play football and feel nothing.