Aston Villa crushed Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday, ending a 30-year wait for silverware and securing their first major European trophy in 44 years.
Unai Emery’s side produced a devastating first-half performance in Istanbul, with spectacular goals from Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia, before Morgan Rogers added a third after the break.
Tielemans broke the deadlock in the 41st minute with a thunderous volley from inside the area, following a clever short corner routine involving Rogers. Buendia then doubled the lead seconds before half-time, curling a majestic finish into the far corner from the edge of the box.
Rogers sealed the emphatic victory in the 58th minute, sliding home Buendia’s cross to complete a dominant display against the overmatched German side.
The triumph marks Villa’s first major honour since their 1996 League Cup win and their first European success since the famous 1982 European Cup final victory over Bayern Munich. Club legends Peter Withe and Dennis Mortimer watched from the stands as the current squad emulated their heroics, wearing white shirts just as the Class of ’82 did in Rotterdam.
For Emery, the victory represents a fifth Europa League title, having previously won the competition three times with Sevilla (2014, 2015, 2016) and once with Villarreal (2021).
Among the celebrating fans at the Besiktas Stadium was Prince William, a known Villa supporter, while Hollywood actor Tom Hanks sent a good luck message before kick-off.
The result caps a remarkable finish to the season for Villa, who secured Champions League qualification with a win against Liverpool last week. Their European campaign yielded 13 victories in 15 matches, a stark contrast to their sluggish start to the domestic season, which saw them go six games without a win.
Since Emery took charge in October 2022, when the club sat just three points above the relegation zone, Villa have undergone a dramatic renaissance. Wednesday’s triumph banished memories of previous domestic final defeats and relegations in 1987 and 2016, cementing their return to the upper echelons of European football.
