Aston Villa are set to end their 30-year trophy drought after reaching the Europa League final.

Commentary on Rotterdam’s Peter Wie’s goal against Bayern Munich hangs above the Doug Ellis stand.

Villa may need another banner if they win in Turkey in two weeks’ time, which would secure a Champions League return despite finishing in the Premier League’s top five.

John McGinn’s late double put the spotlight on a dominant performance that was too much for Forest to match or cope with.

Boss Vitor Pereira was able to include Morgan Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangare and Murillo on the substitutes’ bench but none of them were fit and only defender Murillo came on and lost the game for just two minutes.

But even with that trio fully present, the visitors may have struggled to contain the sprawling Villa, which only adds to the time in the game.

Ollie Watkins’ opener and Amy Buendia’s penalty put Villa ahead on the night before they equalised. After that, there was no doubt that the performance even received royal recognition from fans – Prince William went to the dressing room to congratulate him during the match.

“They (the players) were paying attention, they were aware of the pace,” Emery said. “Before, we had a plan in mind and how we were going to play the game. It was the only match we played with this situation.

The only chance we had of reaching the final was when we were here, how the fans were here and we were confident of creating this atmosphere.

Emery will be in their sixth Europa League final with a record four wins and one loss. He played against Chelsea in 2019 as Arsenal manager.

“Europe is very important,” he said. “In this first press conference I was talking about Europe, I was talking about trophies, but it’s very difficult. It’s difficult to get trophies.

“It’s hard to be as consistent as we are in Europe, it’s our hard work and the players have to set the standard we want to achieve.

Today the players gave their collective and individual best.

Giovanni Trapattoni has achieved more goals in European competition than Emery with just seven.

“There’s no better manager for us to prepare for this game and get into the finals. His history speaks for itself,” Watkins told TNT.

Now we have to go and win.

Watkins himself admits that changes are expected in the squad this summer and this current run represents the last chance to achieve something.

Emery gave his players everything. The likes of Watkins, Ezri Konsa, Matty Cash and Morgan Rodgers have arrived at Villa from the Championship, and there is an internal recognition that the squad needs to be rejuvenated.

Skipper McGinn knew his players had one last chance to compete against heroes like European Cup-winning captain Dennis Mortimer and Paul McGrath, who lifted the league titles in 1994 and 1996.

He told TNT: “We’ve certainly had low moments. It’s a club that wants to play, but when it happens Villa Park is electric. What we’ve done in the last few years is exceptional.

I felt it this morning, but now it’s about embracing it and trying to be legendary. You see guys from 1982, you see trophy winners in the 90s.

“It’s a historic club and it’s been a long time without success. There’s been highs and lows like relegation and it’s built itself up. It’s such a proud football club, it deserves success and hopefully we’ll be the team to do it.”