Emi Buendia has been on a rollercoaster ride during his time at Aston Villa, but he played a starring role in the Europa League final win over Freiburg, scoring one goal and setting up another. The Argentine midfielder has endured a challenging journey since joining Villa from Norwich in a £38 million deal in 2021, including a severe ACL injury that sidelined him for the entire 2023/24 season. He returned to action almost exactly a year after his injury and signed a new contract, but was loaned to Bayer Leverkusen in January 2025.
Buendia's Determination Pays Off
Despite being told he could leave Villa Park last summer, Buendia was determined to stay and prove his worth. His resilience was rewarded in spectacular fashion in Istanbul, where he scored what he calls the 'goal of his life' to help Villa beat Freiburg and win the Europa League title. Reflecting on his journey, Buendia said: "I prepared myself a lot for this. I've had some very bad moments, I've been very low, had injuries and found myself in a difficult moment to play more often. But I kept believing in myself all the time. I always trusted my work ethic and also I always thought I could be important for this club and team."
Loan Spell Helped Him Mature
Buendia admitted that his time at Leverkusen helped him mature and made him realise he never wanted to leave Villa. "That was another experience for myself, and to personally grow up. I wanted to stay to fight for a place. I knew within myself I could be important for this team, and I'm very happy. I always tried to refuse everything. I wanted to stay here, I wanted to play for this club," he said.
Celebrations and World Cup Dreams
The 29-year-old joined his teammates on an open-top bus parade through Birmingham to celebrate the club's first European trophy in 44 years. Manager Unai Emery addressed the players after the match, thanking them for their hard work. Buendia revealed that goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez played through a broken finger sustained in the warm-up. Now, Buendia hopes to join his fellow Argentine in Lionel Scaloni's final World Cup squad. "The World Cup is always a dream. We will see in the next few days. I want to enjoy this as a team and as a club. I want to see my family and friends as well," he added.
