Birmingham night

Wrapped in passion Villa Park like no other day. We will probably never again experience such a lively atmosphere as on Wednesday night in Birmingham, with Aston Villa in perfect connection with his fans, chanting ‘Up the Villa’. Just in time to commemorate its 150th anniversary, the successful past and the exciting present coexist and harmonize in the stands, a mixture of nostalgia and frenzy that is difficult to repeat. ‘Our heroes are villains’, read a large banner in front of the Holte End, with a picture of Emery and all his players, applauded at the beginning of the beautiful fireworks.

It was an atmosphere of great celebration and unity, with lots of color in the effervescent Birmingham stadium and thousands of sky blue flags in the stands, as the Aston Villa returned to the Champions League and did so against the Germans of Bayern Munich, 42 years after they beat them in the European final in Rotterdam. Even Prince William of Wales, a self-confessed ‘villain’ follower, didn’t want to miss out on the pomp of the event. He enjoyed the friends in the stands, with a beard and a hat to try to hide himself, like another passionate fan, on that special day, which will remain engraved in the memory.

The final 1-0, with a goal from the left foot of an impeccable substitute, the Colombian John Duran beating Neuer, it was the perfect culmination of the Villa Park party. The club from the capital of the West Midlands has relaunched, with its fans excited, and grateful for Unai Emery, for radical change. These were the days of happiness, in which the Basque coach was able to bury the long years of suffering, gray periods wandering in the Championship and one step away from financial bankruptcy. This was the night when Aston Villa fans finally recovered from all the years of suffering and regained the old euphoria of the club, which was remembered for more than four decades. There were grandparents in the stands who were able to share with their grandchildren the feeling of a great victory, such as the distant final of the 1982 European Cup, as well as the mighty Bayern. They will never forget it.

Emery, excited

The purpose of Duran and the miraculous cessation of ‘Dibu’ Martínez Harry Kane’s shot, in the final moments, will remain the symbol of that triumphant night, a highlight of Emery’s era that brought, once again, the best of continental football to Villa Park. There were heartfelt tributes to Gary Shaw, who died this month, and other great survivors of Villa’s unforgettable team, such as Peter White and Dennis Mortimer, who cheered in the stands. The European Cup is no longer the tournament they know, but a massive Champions League of 36 teams, but the old feeling of victory prevails as before.

This is another victory for Emerytactically well prepared. He left possession to Bayern and tried to wait for his players to launch quick counterattacks that would surprise the team now coached by the Belgian Kompany. Everything went well for the Hondarribia coach, which even pleased Prince William, who went to congratulate the whole team to thank them for the victory. Emery returns Villa’s praise. And the Prince of Wales came down to greet them to thank them for their efforts. He admitted to them that he had lost his voice. “I told him that the best moments we can have are days like today and try to enjoy the way we play,” said a Emery ecstatic, who was seen ecstatic in the locker room.

economic boom

After almost two years of work, the Basque coach put the Aston Villa among the best English clubs, restoring ambition. The moment at the ‘claret and blue’ club is being lived with double relish, as its great city rivals, Birmingham City, are struggling in League One, after serious problems. Now the former NFL player, the American Tom Brady, has invested to try to return him to the elite in three years. Villa’s owners, the Egyptian Nassef Sawiris and the American Wesley Edens, saw the potential of the historic club in the second largest English city in terms of population, and they were right to invest heavily. Also in his commitment to Emery and his team, despite his cautious time at Arsenal, without hesitation in offering him an extension of his contract until 2029. All that sporting success has brought clear economic benefits. The two were also seen immortalizing the special night, taking pictures on the lawn. Everyone wants his memory.

The emotion of the match drove Villa from the start. Although they hardly attacked in the first 15 minutes, the noise from the stands was so loud and energetic that even Emi Martínez himself, the proud captain of this Villa team, admitted that he was surprised: “It was incredible – believe me, this is the loudest Villa Park I’ve heard since joining the club. I love playing here and it’s a win for them.” unleashed madness and the ‘villainous’ fan celebration continued in Digbeth and the City Centre, in the central pubs of Burlington Arcade, Temple Row and Bennets Hill.

The club and the city breathed a sigh of relief. When Villa, already top of the Premier League, just three points behind leaders Liverpool, host Manchester United at Villa Park on Sunday, their fans’ famous song ‘Holte Enders In The Sky’ will will shout louder than before. .