Emiliano Buendia decision was a masterstroke by Unai Emery, Aston Villa couldn’t have won the Europa League without him
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Credit: Imago Thu 21 May 2026 9:15, UK Emiliano Buendia scored and assisted as Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday, but he could have been somewhere else completely.The midfielder returned to Villa Park last summer after a loan spell with Bayer Leverkusen, where he had barely played.The Argentinian was still recovering from the ACL tear that kept him out of the entirety of the 2023-24 season, and there was a broad expectation that Villa would let him go.But Unai Emery decided to keep Buendia at the club, and that choice has been rewarded time and time again since.The 29-year-old’s role in Villa’s Europa League glory, both in Istanbul and throughout the tournament, has underlined his importance yet again. ⚽ Aston Villa Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Aston Villa fixture. VISIT THE VILLA MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Emi Buendia’s dazzling Europa League campaignFootball Insider exclusively revealed in April that Villa are set to discuss a new contract with Buendia this summer, with his current deal set to expire in 2027.
It is richly deserved for the Argentine, who scored his 11th goal of the season when he curled in a stunning strike from range to put his team into a commanding lead.Emi BuendiaStats vs SC Freiburg Minutes played81Goals 1Assists1Chances created4Recoveries2Was fouled2Duels won5/7It was then his turn to take part in his teammate’s goal, sliding the ball across the box for Morgan Rogers to poke home.But Buendia has not just shown up in the Europa League final, he has been superb throughout the tournament. Buendia assisted Villa’s only goal in the first leg against Lille in the last 16, he contributed in both legs of the quarter-finals against Bologna, and he also scored and assisted against Nottingham Forest.Buendía brilliance ✨Emiliano Buendía with a beauty to make it 2-0 to Aston Villa just before half-time 🎯📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/sVmWF0Leoa— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026 View Tweet Simply put, the Villans may well not be celebrating Europa League glory had Emery not decided to keep the 29-year-old around.Buendia full value for new contractWith Buendia’s contract set to expire in 2027, Villa will be forced to take action this summer or risk losing him on a free transfer next year.The decision on the 29-year-old appears to be an easy one.
He has been excellent this season and has emerged as a crucial part of Emery’s team.Premier League sides will already be circling in the event that Buendia decides to leave, but there is little chance of that. The Argentine was just as delighted as the rest of his teammates with Wednesday’s result, and he will undoubtedly put pen to paper in the coming weeks. 🦁 ASTON VILLA INSIDER UPDATE 🦁 Get the inside track on the Villa Park dugout, transfer strategy, player wages, and technical leadership at Bodymoor Heath.