The Aston Villa captain will lead his side into one of European football’s most famous stadiums on Tuesday, with the Champions League meeting representing another landmark in the club’s resurgence.
At 32, McGinn admits the occasion still gives him the same excitement he felt as a young boy imagining himself playing in front of huge crowds at the biggest venues.
“I’m 32 years old, but the trajectory of this club is allowing me to dream the same way I dreamed when I was nine, ten or eleven to play in front of the biggest crowds in the biggest arenas,” he said.
Villa’s return to the highest level of European competition has given the midfielder the opportunity to experience nights that once seemed a distant ambition. He hopes such occasions can become a regular part of the club’s future rather than isolated highlights.
“This is a very historic stadium, but what the club is trying to do now is make this normal, make this a yearly experience and make Aston Villa compete with the best in England and the best in Europe,” McGinn added.
The Scotland international is keen to savour the atmosphere at the Camp Nou, but insists the players will judge the night by the result rather than the occasion.
Villa arrive in Spain with a perfect record from their opening three Champions League matches and will be looking to maintain that momentum against the Spanish champions.
McGinn made clear that his side are travelling with the ambition to take all three points.
“As professionals, we will only enjoy the experience if we get three points, and that is what we will be trying to do tomorrow,” he said.
For McGinn, the fixture is another reminder of how far Aston Villa have come. The ambition now is to make competing against Europe’s elite a familiar experience for the club and its supporters.