Aston Villa captain John McGinn praised Unai Emery’s experience and leadership after Villa reached the Europa League final with a dominant win over Nottingham Forest.
John McGinn paid tribute to manager Unai Emery after Aston Villa secured their place in the Europa League final with an emphatic comeback victory over Nottingham Forest.
Villa overturned a first-leg deficit in style, producing a dominant 4-0 victory at Villa Park after losing 1-0 away from home in the opening encounter. The result sealed the Premier League side’s place in the final in Istanbul later this month.
WE ARE EUROPA LEAGUE FINALISTS 😤 pic.twitter.com/x7fgl9XUDa
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 7, 2026
Emery’s men will now face SC Freiburg in the Europa League final after the Bundesliga side overcame Braga in the other semi-final. It will mark the Spaniard’s sixth appearance in a Europa League final, further underlining his reputation as one of the competition’s greatest managers.
Speaking after the match, McGinn credited Emery’s experience for helping Villa manage the occasion better than in previous European campaigns. The midfielder admitted lessons had been learned from last season’s Conference League semi-final disappointment.
“He’s experienced a lot more European semi-finals than us,” McGinn said. “In the Conference League semi-final, we probably went a little bit too gung-ho, but today we managed it.”
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are heading to Istanbul 🇹🇷🏆#UEL | @AVFCOfficial pic.twitter.com/wsmLO59U0P
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 8, 2026
The Scotland international was full of praise for Emery’s impact at the club, describing the former Sevilla, Arsenal and Villarreal boss as “amazing” for the work he has done since arriving at Villa Park.
McGinn also reflected on the influence previous managers have had on his career, thanking Steve Bruce for giving him confidence after moving to England, Dean Smith for helping him establish himself in the Premier League, and Steven Gerrard for teaching him leadership qualities.
Villa will now look to complete a memorable European journey by lifting the Europa League trophy in Istanbul, with Emery aiming to add another continental title to his remarkable managerial record.
There is nobody quite like Mr. Unai Emery 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ndGID5gHRT
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 7, 2026
