Emiliano Buendia delivered a Man of the Match performance in Aston Villa’s 3-0 Europa League final victory and insists the night will be “forever in the history of the club.”
- Buendia scored the stunning second goal, curling into the far top corner from outside the box
- The Argentine assisted the third goal to complete a Man of the Match display
- He praised the set-piece routine that produced Tielemans’ opener “the pass from Morgan was incredible”
- Buendia delivered an emotional tribute to the Villa supporters inside Beşiktaş Park
“We will have this forever as a memory”
Emiliano Buendia’s post-match words carried a specific and personal weight that went well beyond the football. The Argentine No.10, who has been at Villa Park since 2021 and has experienced every step of the club’s transformation under Emery, understood instinctively what winning in Istanbul means within the broader context of the club’s history.
“When you listen to our fans talking about this, it was great they could share it with us in the stadium,” Buendia stated. “We made them proud of this football club and that’s something amazing. We will have this forever as a memory, as an experience. I’m really pleased with what we created tonight because it will be in the history of the club.” That specific phrase “in the history of the club” reflects a player who understands that he has just contributed to one of the most significant nights in Aston Villa’s 151-year existence. The 1982 European Cup. The 1996 League Cup. And now Istanbul 2026.
His broader assessment of what the triumph represents for the squad was equally powerful. “Incredible. I’m really happy, out of words as well, because the feeling to win is so difficult. What this team have achieved is amazing. During the season people talk about favourites, but the way we work, the way we prepare every single match, respecting every opponent is amazing. Huge credit for everyone and now we have to enjoy this.”
“Every duel was a real fight”. The tactical honesty
One of the most impressive elements of Buendia’s post-match interview was his honest and specific acknowledgement of how demanding Freiburg made the opening period of the final. Rather than dismissing the German club’s threat, the Argentine reflected carefully on a first half that required Villa’s full concentration and collective discipline before the goals arrived.
“In these kinds of games it’s only one match, so we had to be really focused during the whole 90 minutes,” he stated. “Until the first goal, both teams had chances, maybe not clear ones, but they were tough and competing well. Every duel was a real fight.” That candid acknowledgement, from the Man of the Match, reflects the respect for Freiburg that Emery had demanded from his squad throughout the entire final week of preparation.
His description of the set-piece routine that produced Tielemans’ opener was equally generous and precise. “We found the opening with a fantastic set piece the way we work on these kinds of things is amazing. We are always thinking about how we can make dangerous set pieces. It worked amazingly. The pass from Morgan was incredible and the finish from Youri was amazing.” Three separate individuals: MacPhee for the design, Rogers for the delivery, Tielemans for the execution, all specifically credited in a single response.
“My goal was really nice. But also the moment”
Buendia’s reflection on his own goal, the curling masterpiece into the far top corner that effectively ended Freiburg’s hopes of a comeback, captured both the technical brilliance of the finish and the psychological significance of its timing.
“Later, my goal was really nice, but also the moment,” he stated. “Just before half-time, the team could feel like we were close now. It was a bad moment for them.” The psychological devastation of conceding twice in the final minutes of the first half, reflects a player who thinks deeply about the emotional dynamics of football as well as its technical demands.
His final reflection on the overall performance was the simplest and most complete summary of all. “We competed over the 90 minutes and we have a nice victory now.” Nice. The Argentine’s word for a 3-0 Europa League final triumph that ended 30 years of waiting. In any language, it is an understatement of the most beautiful kind.
ReadAstonVilla Verdict
Buendia’s Man of the Match display was the culmination of a season that has seen him produce some of the finest individual performances of his career, from the Forest second leg to the Liverpool victory and now the biggest stage of all. His goal in Istanbul will be replayed for decades. His post-match words, humble, specific, and deeply grateful, reflect everything that makes him such a valued and beloved member of this squad. Forever in the history of the club. He is right.
