- Emi Buendia (from Argentina) inspires Europa glory on biggest stage.
- A look back at Emi’s iconic rise to the top of European football.
- From Carrow Road dominance to conquering Europe in Istanbul.
He’s not one of us anymore, hasn’t been for a long time, but you’ll struggle to find a Norwich City supporter who didn’t feel a tiny pang of pride watching Emi Buendia rip it up in last night’s Europa League final in an Aston Villa shirt.
For those who didn’t watch, our former hero put on an absolute masterclass to help Villa lift the UEFA Europa League trophy with a 3-0 demolition of Freiburg.
In addition to all of the above, he scored a brilliant curling effort just before halftime and later turned provider with an assist for Morgan Rogers. As a result, he deservedly won the Man of the Match award, proving to the world what the Canary faithful knew all along – that he’s world-class and was born to perform on the grandest and biggest stages.
As I said, none of this was news to us. It was pretty obvious from the word go, that he was a special footballer.
Championship royalty at Carrow Road
Before making his move to the Premier League – one that even the most ardent City fan admitted he’d earned (despite it being at our expense, after winning promotion) – he established himself as arguably one of the most creative forces in modern EFL Championship history. He was that good.
He lifted two league titles during his time in Norfolk, culminating in that legendary 2020-21 behind-closed-doors campaign where he was named the EFL Championship Player of the Season. That season, through the prism of our TVs, we watched him tear the division up, racking up a massive 15 goals and 15 assists, in the process earning a permanent place in the hearts of the Canary faithful.
From Mar del Plata to Madrid
Though born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Emi’s footballing education began at the top level of European football. Let’s not forget, he spent two pivotal years within Real Madrid’s youth academy between 2008 and 2010. He later moved to Getafe, where he made his professional debut before Stuart Webber’s recruitment team uncovered one of the greatest transfer bargains in the club’s history.
International allegiance
Emi’s exceptional form in a City shirt caught the eye of Lionel Scaloni, which sparked a tug-of-war for his international allegiance. Having spent his formative years in Spain, he represented the Spanish U19 national team in 2014. However, his heart belonged in Argentina, and he committed to them at Under-20 level and later earned his first senior cap in February 2022 during a World Cup qualifier against Colombia.
Resilience through adversity
It’s not been straightforward, though. Never is. But what always endeared Emi to the Y’Army, in addition to his obvious natural talent, was his fighting spirit – a quality that was severely tested when he suffered the ACL injury that sidelined him for the entire 2023-24 season.
Typically, he refused to lie down. After a testing loan spell in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen in early 2025 to help regain match fitness, he fought his way back to his best form under Unai Emery, culminating in last night’s 90+ minutes of glory.
He’ll always be one of us … to us.
The Buendia (Norwich City) file:
- Born: December 25, 1996
- Norwich legacy: 121 appearances, 24 goals, and 42 assists across all competitions.
- Farke’s formula: He formed one of the most lethal partnerships in club history alongside Teemu Pukki, a telepathic connection built on perfectly weighted through-balls and footballing intelligence (on both sides).
