Aston Villa captain John McGinn has challenged his teammates to turn themselves into “legends” at the club by winning the UEFA Europa League, as Villa move within one game of ending a 30-year wait for major silverware.
Villa booked their place in the Europa League final in Istanbul on May 20 after a commanding 4–0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Villa Park, sealing a 4–1 aggregate win.
The result sends the Premier League side into their first major European final since their European Cup triumph in 1982.
McGinn was the standout performer on the night, scoring twice, while Ollie Watkins and Emi Buendía also got on the scoresheet to complete a dominant display.
Speaking after the match, McGinn stressed the importance of capitalising on the opportunity ahead of them.
“This club has been through a lot, including relegation and rebuilding,” he said. “Now we have a chance to become legends. If we don’t win the final, we’ll just be ‘nearly men’. We don’t want that.”
He added that Villa’s journey under manager Unai Emery has brought renewed belief to the squad.
“It’s a proud football club with history. The fans deserve success, and hopefully we are the group that delivers it.”
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Villa’s run to the final marks a significant milestone in Emery’s European record, with the Spanish coach already renowned for his success in continental competitions.
Striker Ollie Watkins also praised the manager’s influence, describing him as the ideal coach to prepare the team for a final of this magnitude.
“There is no better manager to get us ready,” Watkins said. “We are in a strong position, but we have to go there and win it.”
Villa’s European success comes despite recent domestic struggles, with the team having suffered three consecutive Premier League defeats prior to the semi-final second leg.
However, they responded emphatically under pressure, producing one of their most complete performances of the season.
McGinn admitted the pressure was intense but praised the squad’s mentality.
“We’ve been in big games before, but this one felt different,” he said. “We had to make sure we had no regrets, and we delivered.”
Aston Villa will now turn their attention to the Europa League final in Istanbul, where victory would secure their first major trophy since 1996 and mark one of the most significant achievements in the club’s modern era.
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