John McGinn from Aston Villa, speaking to TNT Sports: “I’m thrilled. The first half was a bit sluggish for me as I worked to regain my form. It wasn’t the prettiest match, but the crucial thing is that we’re now in the quarter-finals.”
Regarding Emi Martinez’s assist for his goal and Jadon Sancho’s standout performance: “Emi’s pass was fantastic, and it really spotlighted Jadon’s performance; it was his best match in a Villa shirt. He was undoubtedly the man of the match tonight. The manager had been giving me a hard time before the game, urging me to get into the box, and he made it happen for me.”
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“They defended well in the first half, but we shifted to a more direct approach in the second half. The manager made tactical changes, and it worked well for us.”
On returning from injury: “It’s tough being sidelined when the team is struggling. I recovered quickly, knowing it could have been worse, and I focused on my rehabilitation. I’ve learned from past experiences not to rush rehab, and I made sure to do it right this time.”
On his goal-scoring targets this season: “I never used to set personal goal targets, but the manager encourages the forwards to have objectives. I’m aiming for at least 10 goals each season. I haven’t reached that yet, but I’m hopeful this season will be different. It’s crucial for us forwards and wingers to support Ollie [Watkins].”
On Emiliano Martinez: “He’s a character! He takes his family seriously, but he has the spirit of a kid. He’s an outstanding goalkeeper and even at 2-0, he made an incredible save.”
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“It felt great to get a clean sheet, deliver a solid performance, and send the Villa fans home happy. Let’s aim for the same on Sunday.”
Aston Villa winger Jadon Sancho, also speaking to TNT Sports: “It’s a wonderful feeling to progress. Tonight was incredible with the support from the fans. We followed our game plan, and I hope we can carry this momentum into the Premier League.”
On John McGinn’s return from injury: “We’ve really missed him. He’s a fantastic teammate and brings so much energy to the dressing room. I’m so glad to have him back and was pleased to assist him today.”
On their chances of winning the Europa League: “We have to approach it one match at a time; it’s a challenging tournament, and European competitions are different. We adhered to the game plan and worked diligently on and off the ball. If we continue in this manner, I’m confident we can go far in this competition.”
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Did you know?
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Aston Villa has reached the quarter-finals in major European competition for three consecutive seasons, matching the total they achieved in their previous 11 campaigns combined.
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Unai Emery has reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the eighth time—more than any other manager, who has a maximum of five appearances. Aston Villa will be the fifth club he guides into this round, following Valencia (twice), Sevilla (three times), Arsenal, and Villarreal.