Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans said to TNT Sports, as per BBC Sport’s live blog: “I feel amazing. My voice is a bit gone but it’s all good. We put in a shift, top performance we had a great season. to top it off with this it’s amazing.”
On the routine by which he scored his goals: “We only had one day to practice we did it on Monday and it went brilliantly tonight. So happy.
“It’s amazing. It’s been a season with a lot of ups and downs. We started so so bad. Our standards were very poor. The way we turned things around was a credit to the players and staff. We kept working, believing. We got the win in the end, Champions League next season and a trophy.”
On the travelling fans’ support: “The fans have been amazing. All game long we could only hear them. Credit to them. Up the Villa!”
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers said to TNT Sport: “It’s hard to put into words, we’ve worked so hard for this. We’ve delivered and come through. It’s a great moment for the fans, great for the club. We’ll go down in history.
“There was so much excitement. We’re all really excited.
“The manager has been banging on at me to get easier goals and get into the box. I’m happy I could get a toe onto it and score.
“I’m tired but not that tired. It’s all worth it in the end.”
Unai Emery reflects on achieving his goal with Aston Villa and looks ahead to what comes next after Europa League glory 🏆
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins to TNT Sports: “Amazing, amazing. To perform like that was unbelievable. I felt like we really controlled the game and we punished them in the end.”
On the goals Villa scored: “I’ve watched many finals and I think set pieces are crucial. Until then it was a bit cagey, they were going man for man. Fair play to [set piece coach] Austin MacPhee for having the courage, we left four up on a corner.
“An unbelievable experience. Look at this. It’s what you dream of.”
On what it means to win the trophy: “Sometimes you have ups and downs but we pulled through in the end, we pushed on, we got Champions League football. It’s so special. All of these fans – it’s indescribable.”
On Unai Emery: “He was really calm today in the build up. Sometimes in league games he’s anxious because he wants to get the win but today he was calm and that set the tone for us boys. Youri [Tielemans] ran the show in the midfield. And Victor [Lindelof] has done so well since he’s come in, he was my player of the match today.”
“I wasn’t nervous tonight… I felt confident!” 🏆
John McGinn after captaining Aston Villa to Europa League glory ✨
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026
“Look at what it means to the fans and the players!” 💜
Ezri Konsa reacts after an unforgettable night in Istanbul ✨
📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max | @Becky_Ives_ 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/0QfPrO7xMU
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026
Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa told TNT Sports: “I don’t know [how I feel]. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I was saying not long ago how much of a journey it’s been. Seven years at this club, lots of ups and downs. To finally bring back some silverware for club and fans, it’s amazing. It’s something I can’t really describe.
“Look what it means to the fans, the players, some of us who’ve been here for so long.
“Fans have been with us through thick and thin for us, travelled everywhere. This is for them!”
On his message for the fans back home in Birmingham:
“If you saw my letter I said ‘believe’. If you did – thank you. This is for you.”
Aston Villa’s John McGinn to TNT Sports:
“I can’t believe it to be honest. What we’ve been through as a club, this club is close to being in a right bad way seven years ago. V Sports bought the club over. Their one remit was to get it back to the Premier League and back to the levels of before.
“Tonight was everything we built coming together. The pride I felt with 10 minutes to go knowing we were about to be champions – I cant describe it.”
On the game:
“We started well. I’m biased, but we have a great set piece coach in Austin MacPhee. We tried to deceive a bit with the set piece. We did it against liverpool at the weekend. Youri [Tielemans] has great quality to find the goal. It’d have been over the bar if it were me!”
On winning the trophy:
“It means a lot. As a kid growing up I remember Celtic in 2003. It wasn’t a great night for them but it was special. I was lucky enough to go the final at Hampden in 2007. To be here, in 2026, as captain of Aston Villa is incredible. It’s the proudest night of my career.
“I’ll try to enjoy it. I like to party but I’ll take it easy to try and soak it all in.”
“Being 31, in my first European final, I’ve seen my mates [Jack] Grealish and [Andy] Robertson win. It’s my turn. It’s so special, I’ll cherish every minute.”
On how he felt before kick off: “I wasn’t nervous. I was for the semi final. I had full confidence in our ability. We’ve built so much and this group of players deserve it. The supporters do. In the Championship every away end was full to the rafters. If we were relegated it’d be the same.
“Hopefully Prince William is paying for the free bar. He’s a classy game he was in dressing room before the game. He’s a massive villa fan, he was never going to miss it. He’s just a normal guy, it’s great to have his support. Hopefully he can have a couple of drinks with us and maybe get his credit card out.
On a John McGinn statue at Villa Park: “I’ve got a few years left. With this guy in charge, anything’s possible. It’s important to keep building. It will be very very difficult to knock the big cheeser [smile] off my face tonight.”
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said to TNT Sports: “Good evening. Fantastic. Europe it gave us a lot. For myself as well – a lot. I’m always very grateful for Europe. For every competition but especially the Europa League.
“As well the clubs I work at because they show the way, as well the support I had with Valencia, with Sevilla, with Villareal and here at Villa. The owners, the players. It’s very important how everybody, we got strongly this competition and we tried to get our best. We played it in a very serious way this year – so so focussed.
“And of course the players they show their wishes. I was telling them in there, we need wishes, we need seriousness in this competition. To show on the field that you are the protagonist – and they did it!”
On his group of players “We are always here talking about our experiences. We try to use our experiences here. We play semi-final, we play quarter-final in Europe, Conference and Champions League.
“This final is confirmation of how we are progressing. It is very important for them.
“Of course it is important for the supporters, they are travelling with us all the season, doing a huge effort to be with us and transmitting us the energy. We must try as well to be proud of everything we are doing with our supporters.
“And of course as well how this club won the title in 1982. And again competing for a title in Europe is something which makes sense of everything we are doing.”
On whether the project has more future:
“We are getting stronger. Development in everything. The club is working to extend the stadium by 10,000 people more. We are building and changing a little bit the training centre.
“We are trying to be demanding, playing in Europe, next year we are going to be in Champions League. It makes sense how we are getting this development with players, extending the contracts. But always it’s important that we must be so so demanding in our process, in our project. Because the project can only make sense if we are winning.”
On Villa being a ‘destination’ instead of a stepping stone:
“Of course [that is part of the plan]. We are improving. We are playing finals. We are winning trophies. I think the brand as well is increasing. This we need as well. To try to improve in all the things. The brand is very important. And how football watches us. As a team, ambitious and improving. This is our next step.”
Here’s how fans reacted after Buendia and Tielemans wows with wonder goals as Aston Villa win the 2026 Europa League Final…
@Protenpinner: Thank you Emery! Mings on for a well deserved appearance. From the Championship, to keeping us up & now the final, we’d not be here if not for him. Deserved. #AVFC #UELfinal #FREAVL
@rob23avfc: Mings deserves his appearance tonight, might well be his last game but he has been a huge part of getting us into this position from the dark days in the Championship #avfc
@kperkins92: Get the f*ck in there Villa! Europa League Champions!!! Convincing win! Brilliant goals! What a performance!!! Best night of my 34 years in football terms! Get in there!!!!!!! #AVFC
@ThatMetalNessie:Relegation.Championship.Promotion.League Cup Runners-Up.Survival.£100m.Steven Gerrard.Unai Emery.Europe.Champions.This is the culmination of a decade of misery, joy, pain, relief, anger, ecstacy. What a ride it has been.The story’s just beginning. UP THE VILLA! #AVFC
@s_ssinwamali: 44 years of waiting is officially OVER. 🏆🦁 From 1982 to 2026, Aston Villa are Kings of Europe once again. Unai Emery, take a bow! 💜🩵 #AVFC #UELfinal
@stripey_camel: This team man. What a performance 🔥🔥 Through ups and downs (so many downs!) and FINALLY I’ve seen them win a trophy! 😭😭 Maybe don’t leave it another 30 years to the next one now 😅 Up the Villa 🦁🦁🦁 #AVFC #UTV #UEL
@TurnpikeVillan: From highs to the lowest lows to the highest of highs that we’ve seen over a rollercoaster of decades. And they’ve finally done it. And in style at that. Raise that trophy boys! You are champions and you’ve done us proud! #avfc #utv
@Alexjm05: Fair play Villa were outstanding. Goals worthy of winning any final. Could have been 5 or 6 once they got going. Emery yet again wins the Europa League. Unreal record in that competition. #AVFC
@deakinkoz: What has just happened!!!!! To every Villa fan….. what a season and love you all!! Let the celebrations begin!! #avfc #utv
@jackluckhurst16: I am the happiest man in the world right now, and today is the happiest day of my 25 year life. Unai Emery is an absolute legend and our players are absolute legends as well 💜🩵 #AVFC
@306jw: Those years enduring some terrible football, relegation, disappointment, despair and underachievement suddenly feels all worth it. What a night. My club. Right now, it doesn’t even feel like this team has peaked either…
