John McGinn admits he has spent the whole season dreaming of leading out Aston Villa in a European final. On Wednesday night in Istanbul, that dream will finally come true at the third time of asking. No-one will be prouder than McGinn when he takes Villa into battle against Freiburg in the Europa League final.
Ending a Trophy Drought
Villa have not won a trophy in more than three decades. If McGinn can get his hands on the trophy come the final whistle in Besiktas's Tupras Stadium, he will achieve what he always wanted by writing his name into club folklore.
Previous Near Misses
McGinn has skippered Villa in previous European campaigns in both the Champions League and Conference League. On both occasions, Unai Emery's men came up short. But now he is relishing the moment he has been waiting so long for.
McGinn said: "I've pictured it (leading the team out as the captain), because that's been the dream since the start of the season, to get to the final. When we were in the Conference League two seasons ago, the dream was to get to the final, and we didn't achieve it. Then the Champions League last season, the dream was to get to the final, and we didn't achieve it. But this season we managed to deal with each game, each round with the same respect we will treat Freiburg with. They deserve to be in the final. But the final message is to play the same way we have done as a group over the years, to be in this position."
Journey from the Championship
Villa were in the Championship when McGinn joined them from Hibernian back in 2018. He admits it has been quite a journey since then, one which has taken them from the second tier of English football to one of the top tables in Europe. The midfielder, who has just been named in Scotland's World Cup squad, admits of all the achievements, this will be his proudest moment.
He added: "I'd say so, yeah. It's been a brilliant journey, full of ups and downs and close moments. It fills me with pride as to where the club is now, and where it can go. We want to come here and celebrate, focus on this game and treat them with respect. But we will only build a club if we keep doing the same things we are doing. On a personal level, for all the time I've been here, this is definitely the proudest moment."
Rewarding the Fans
McGinn knows this showpiece game is the ultimate reward for all those supporters who stuck with the club and team through some low points while being outside the top flight. He added: "This is an important moment, because it's hard to believe seven years ago that we were competing in a final to get into the Premier League. But I think for us, being here, it will be nice to see the supporters there. Rotherham away, Wigan away, nights like that on a Tuesday, they're easy to stay at home for, so they deserve it, just as much as the players do. Hopefully, we can give them all something to remember."
