Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins has paid tribute to manager Unai Emery after guiding the team into another Europa League final with a commanding victory over Nottingham Forest. The Spanish coach is now just one win away from securing his fifth Europa League title.
Villa overturn first-leg deficit
Villa entered the second leg trailing after Chris Wood's penalty in the first match, but a first-half goal from Watkins, a penalty from Emiliano Buendia, and a quick double from John McGinn turned the tie around, securing a 4-1 aggregate win.
Watkins praises Emery's expertise
Bundesliga side Freiburg now stand between Villa and their first major trophy in 30 years, but Watkins believes Emery can once again make the difference. "There is no better manager to get us prepared for this game and obviously take us into the final as well. His track record speaks for itself," Watkins told TNT Sports. "We are in a great position, but we need to go there and win now."
Collective effort hailed
Watkins also praised the collective performance of the Villa team, who had come up short in their previous Premier League match. "After the performance against Tottenham, everyone's mind was on this game," the England forward said. "Everyone worked so hard. It is hard to pick a man of the match – we were all amazing."
McGinn urges team to seize opportunity
Villa captain John McGinn called on his teammates to seize what might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "I am normally quite calm before the game, but the pressure today was intense," the Scotland midfielder said. "I was nervous going into the game and tonight was one of the best performances from Villa I've seen in a long time." McGinn added: "What I said to the lads was they might not get another chance to play in a European semi-final as they don't come along too often. When you get to 31, it might be the last chance to get to a European final."
