Unai Emery guided Aston Villa to a famous 3-0 victory over Freiburg to secure the club’s first major trophy in three decades.
Aston Villa ended a 30-year wait for silverware after defeating SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final in Istanbul on Wednesday night.
Goals from Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendía and Morgan Rogers secured the historic win as Villa captain John McGinn lifted the trophy in front of thousands of travelling fans.
Villa manager Unai Emery delivered on the promise he made after joining the club in 2022 — to bring trophies back to Villa Park. The victory also gave Emery his fifth Europa League title, further strengthening his reputation as one of Europe’s top knockout competition managers.
The triumph caps a remarkable season for Aston Villa, who also secured qualification for next season’s Champions League after finishing in the Premier League top five. Emery has transformed Villa from relegation contenders into one of England’s strongest teams despite financial restrictions and player sales.
Villa’s Europa League success is now one of the biggest moments in the club’s modern history and signals a new era of ambition under Emery.