- Emi Martínez reveals he suffered a broken finger in the warm-up of the Europa League final
- Despite this, he played the full match, helping Aston Villa to beat SC Freiburg 3-0
- It marks their first major trophy in 30 years and a first European trophy since 1982
Aston Villa have officially achieved the dreams they set out at the start of the season by beating SC Freiburg 3-0 to win the Europa League, ending their 30-year wait for a major trophy. Whilst it was made to be a comfortable night, there was a shock during the warm-up, as Emi Martínez revealed he suffered a broken finger.
The atmosphere inside Besiktas Park was electric, with nearly 11,000 Villa supporters cheering their team on to make history. Two incredible goals by Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendía put the Villans well on their way before Morgan Rogers added a third to seal the deal.
This victory marked a historic milestone for the club, serving as their first European piece of silverware since the 1982 European Cup triumph.
Amid the post-match elation, Martínez drove a narrative of individual sacrifice and absolute squad unity, highlighting the depth of Villa’s success.
Overcoming pain for the badge
In his first post-match interview, Martínez focused on the immense pride he feels wearing the claret and blue shirt and the physical toll of the game. He emphasised that the evening’s success was the culmination of relentless preparation.
“What we achieved tonight was beautiful. I feel proud, and the feeling I keep growing match after match,” he shared.
Behind every spectacular save and composure on the ball lies hours of unseen practice on the training ground. For Martínez, this specific match was a beautiful realisation of that effort.
“Today, I tried to pour in all my experience, and all those training sessions that no one ever sees and finally bore fruit today.”
This interview also revealed the shocking physical challenge he overcame before the whistle even blew. The 33-year-old disclosed that he suffered a broken finger during the pre-match warm-up, which could have prevented him from playing.
“Today I broke my finger during warm-ups, but I didn’t see it as a bad thing,” he admitted. “I’ve never broken a finger before, and every time I tried to catch the ball, the finger would just slip away in the other direction.”
Yet, instead of letting it affect him, he reframed the injury with characteristic resilience.
“But these are just things you have to go through. The truth is that the fans and the club are like family to me. Every time I step out to defend the Aston Villa goal, I do so with immense pride.”
Unity in the dressing room
Speaking separately in another interview, Martínez drew attention to the team’s collective chemistry in the dressing room. He revealed the details of a pre-match address he delivered to the players, highlighting a deep sense of unity in the squad.
“I said to them before the kick-off, ‘I got you back, and I was gonna die on the pitch to defend them,” he stated. This was a literal promise backed up by playing through a broken finger.
The team camaraderie developed over years of shared battles proved to be a key component to their victory on the night.
“I got no words to be fair, we’ve been playing together for many years, we know each other’s strengths, and today we hit it to perfection.”
ReadAstonVilla verdict
Ultimately, Villa’s historic Europa League triumph in Istanbul will forever be remembered as the night a 30-year trophy drought was shattered through a dominant performance.
While Martínez’s ability to anchor a clean sheet with a freshly broken finger serves as the ultimate testament to his elite mentality, the victory signifies something far greater than individual heroism.
It marks the definitive return of Villa to the summit of European football, validating a meticulous multi-year project under Unai Emery.
By combining flawless tactical execution with an unbreakable family bond, this squad has etched their names alongside the legends of 1982, proving that the claret and blue belong among Europe’s elite once again.
