Emery acaricia su ‘repóker’… y acerca al Aston Villa a la gloria europea 44 años después
Aston Villa overturned a first-leg deficit against Nottingham Forest with a commanding 4-0 victory at Villa Park, securing a 4-1 aggregate win and a spot in the Europa League final. Emi Buendía contributed a goal and an assist, while John McGinn sealed the triumph with a late brace. The Villans now aim for their first continental trophy since winning the European Cup in 1982.
Unai Emery, who took over Aston Villa in November 2023 after leading Villarreal to a Champions League semifinal, has transformed the club from Premier League strugglers to title contenders. Having already won the Europa League three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal, this final marks his sixth in the competition—and a chance to secure a unique fifth title.
Amadou Onana was a late scratch for the second leg after missing the first leg and the Tottenham match, with Emery opting for Victor Lindelöf over Douglas Luiz. Nottingham Forest were without Ola Aina, forcing Jair Cunha to fill in at right-back. Gibbs-White returned to the squad but remained on the bench, with McAtee starting as a false left winger.
Villa Park was electric from the start, with the hosts pushing relentlessly to level the tie. They created several set-piece opportunities: Konsa narrowly missed a McGinn free kick, and Ortega palmed away a Pau Torres header from a Cash corner. Nottingham Forest tried to stay compact and counter through Omari Hutchinson, who forced a save from Emiliano Martínez after a superb McAtee pass—but that was their only real threat.
Emery’s side grew in intensity, winning the ball higher and faster. In the 35th minute, they broke through: Tielemans intercepted a clearance, Buendía delivered a precise cross from the left, and Watkins tapped in at the near post. The goal restored parity in the tie, and Forest went into the break clearly unsettled. Ortega had to palm away a Watkins drive from distance, and Jair Cunha, struggling at right-back, picked up a yellow card.
Vitor Pereira introduced Yates for McAtee at halftime, shifting Elliot Anderson to the left side of midfield to add stability. But just ten minutes into the second half, Milenkovic conceded a penalty for pulling Pau Torres in the box. Buendía stepped up and calmly slotted home, putting Villa ahead in the tie. Far from sitting back, the hosts pushed for more: Watkins had a goal disallowed, and McGinn missed a golden chance from the center of the box. They nearly paid the price when Martínez made a crucial save moments later.
