The Blues are looking to turn around a difficult run of results that has seen just one win in the past 11 games.
But with a rare blank midweek, the boss says the squad have trained well and are looking forward to the Villa Park test.
“We made a good training session, today we trained good - the guys are ready,” said Pep.
The boss also says he is working hard to get his team back to winning ways, even though he admits the tough run is taking longer to fix than any previous setbacks we have had in the past.
“I handle good moments, and I handle bad ones,” he said.
“I had bad ones in the years as a manager, but we were able to come back.
“Now it is taking longer. It is more than 40 bad days of results, that is the truth, but compared to eight years it is better.
“This 40 days is bad, absolutely. I said after [the defeat to] United we don’t have a defence; the results speak for themself.
“I know we can get a good result and see the team coming back and that is what we want to do.”
