In the UEFA Europa League Final, which Aston Villa won 3-0, Emiliano Buendia’s Man of the Match performance wrote the headlines, as the Argentine scored a goal and provided an assist in a glittering display in the final.
The former Norwich City attacking midfielder stepped up with a fantastic curling finish that put the Villans 2-0 up and on their way to their first European trophy since 1982!
After his goalscoring exploits with the Canaries, Buendia was snapped up by Villa, and especially following this performance in the final, Emiliano Buendia’s Man of the Match rewards years of hard work trying to hit the top level.
The 29-year-old played his 150th game for Aston Villa in the UEFA Europa League final, and what better way to cap such a milestone than with a match-winning display.
Emiliano Buendia’s Man Of The Match Performance: A Display Of Class In The Final
The performance in the UEFA Europa League final was no fluke, but Buendia showcased his talent, dribbling ability, eye for a pass and goalscoring prowess all at once.
In over half of the games that he played in Europe this season, he either scored or assisted, as Villa manager Unai Emery utilised the Argentine in all 15 matches that they played in the competition.
Starting him as a left midfielder/left winger, it allowed Buendia the space to run in behind the opposition defence or the ability to drift inside and create chances for his teammates.
Plenty of players in the Aston Villa side had great games. Youri Tielemans scored a stunner to open the scoring, Morgan Rogers also scored and assisted in the final, becoming the first Englishman to score in a European final since Steven Gerrard, and then captain John McGinn was the ever-present machine running the midfield and assisted Buendia’s stunner.
However, the Argentine was worthy of the award as he played out of his skin, providing Villa with a different creative outlet, and scored arguably the best goal in the final, a debate that Tielemans will be having with the attacking midfielder.
With the highest XG of any player on the pitch with a 0.62, the joint-second most shots, and the second-most touches in the opposition box, Emiliano Buendia’s Man of the Match performance showcased the hard work that he put in throughout the game.
His high consistency in Europe has seen him average a 7.1 rating over the 15 games Aston Villa played in the UEFA Europa League with the Argentine’s involvement.
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Emiliano Buendia’s Man Of The Match Performance: Back To His Best
Following his ACL injury that had him miss all of the 2023/24 season, Buendia has finally been able to return to his best, showcasing what made him a huge talent for Norwich and what made Villa sign him in the first place.
A bit part player for the West Midlands outfit in the 2024/25 season saw him loaned out to Bayer Leverkusen, as he helped the club to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga.
This season has unleashed a completely different Buendia, a player who looks like his old self once more, as he has returned double figures in goal contributions for the first time since the 2021/22 campaign.
20 goal contributions in 53 appearances is not a bad return for his first proper season since his horrific ACL injury that he sustained in training in August 2023.
There’s no doubt that players like John McGinn, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins will be winning all the plaudits, but Emiliano Buendia showed just how good a player he really is.
Once a bright light in Norwich City’s Championship-winning sides, and now, he has returned properly from injury to become one of the most important players in Unai Emery’s Aston Villa team.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / AFLOSPORT
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