- Matty Cash has stated that the “fans deserve” European glory ahead of Aston Villa’s Europa League final with Freiburg
- It takes place at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul on Wednesday 20th May at 20:00 UK time
- Villa will be looking to end their 30-year wait for a trophy
Matty Cash believes Aston Villa supporters “deserve” European triumph on Wednesday, given the 30-year wait since the club’s last trophy. He also discussed the hard work Villa have put in to secure Champions League qualification.
On Friday, Villa were victorious over Liverpool, hammering them 4-2 to confirm their place in Europe’s elite competition next season, with a game to spare. Rather than resting key players, to preserve them for the European showpiece, Unai Emery played his strongest XI and demanded full focus to fulfil their Premier League duties first.
Consequently, with domestic objectives completed, the team can turn their full attention towards Wednesday night’s highly anticipated Europa League final against Freiburg.
Furthermore, navigating a congested fixture schedule and injuries to key players makes reaching a first European final in 44 years a remarkable achievement.
Cash on Champions League qualification
Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Cash opened up about what achieving Champions League qualification means for the club, and that they need to maintain their “winning mentality” going into the final.
“We had a chance to win the game and make sure we cement Champions League football, and I think for the club overall is like a global thing – the Champions League is massive.
“People could say resting players and stuff, but we had one job tonight, that was to win and then go again on Wednesday, and we have to win again.
“We’ve got the same attitude, the same winning mentality, and hopefully we can go and enjoy it and get a result.
“It just goes to show the work that we do behind the scenes and on the pitch, training pitch, all the coaches, everyone involved, you know, it’s not just turn up and play.
“You have to work really hard and have a lot of sacrifices to be up here. It’s fantastic to be in the Champions League again.”
Confident going into the final
The win over Liverpool was a superb performance. One with energy, intensity, and more importantly, quality. Obviously, this will give Villa a lot of confidence going into Wednesday’s final, which Cash believes they must have, and that the supporters “deserve” it.
“You have to be. It’s a final, you have to play the game, not the occasion. We’ve got our manager, who is experienced in the Europa League. He’s going to set out a game plan and just tell us what we need to do and respect Freiburg. It’s a 50-50 match.
“But after tonight, I think we’re really confident we can go there and enjoy the occasion, playing in the Europa League final.
“The club’s obviously not done that for a long time. And they deserve it. The fans deserve it. They deserve a trophy coming back to Villa Park. They can celebrate that, and hopefully we can do it.”
ReadAstonVilla verdict
Villa now stands on the brink of transforming a remarkable campaign into a legendary one. Certainly, Emery’s proven pedigree in the competition gives the squad a distinct psychological edge to overcome the pressure of a European final.
The meticulous preparation behind the scenes has already produced a top-four finish, but the ultimate validation lies in silverware.
For the travelling supporters, Wednesday represents the culmination of three decades of patience, loyalty and rebuilding. Meanwhile, Cash and his teammates clearly understand the stakes and are aware of what they need to do to achieve it.
Therefore, they need to put in one more fantastic performance to conquer the final. One more display that shows fight, intensity, energy and passion.
The stage is set for Emery’s resilient side to bring a major European trophy back to Villa Park, cementing their status among the legends of the club.
