By Rasheed Adewuyi, New York
John McGinn described Aston Villa’s Europa League semi-final victory over Nottingham Forest as the club’s most complete European performance of the season after Villa stormed into the final with a dominant display at Villa Park.
Villa secured a commanding 4-0 victory in the second leg on Thursday night, sealing a 4-1 aggregate triumph and sparking jubilant celebrations among the home supporters. McGinn, who played a key role in midfield and added his name to the scoresheet, said the team executed their game plan perfectly.
“We knew we had to start fast and set the tone,” McGinn said. “Once we got on top, we didn’t let them settle at all.”
Villa’s relentless intensity proved too much for Forest, who struggled to cope with the pace, pressing and movement of the home side throughout the contest.
McGinn stressed that Villa’s organisation and discipline without the ball were just as important as their attacking quality, insisting the semi-final success was built on collective effort rather than individual brilliance.
“Everyone put in a shift,” he told TNT Sports. “It wasn’t just about scoring goals, it was about working together and doing the basics right.”
Despite reaching a major European final, the Villa captain insisted the squad would remain grounded as attention quickly turns toward recovery and preparation for the decisive match later this month.
McGinn also paid tribute to the Villa supporters, praising the atmosphere inside Villa Park and describing the fans as a major driving force behind the club’s impressive European run.
“The fans have been unbelievable all season,” he added. “We could feel them behind us every step of the way, and tonight was special because of that support.”
The victory marks another milestone under manager Unai Emery, whose European pedigree has transformed Villa into one of the continent’s most dangerous knockout sides.
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