Aston Villa 3-0 Freiburg: Goals from Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rodgers in Istanbul gave Villa their first major trophy since 1996 and Unai Emery won his fifth Europa League title.
Emi Buendia curled in Aston Villa’s second goal just before half-time (Image: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Aston Villa put in a great performance to beat Freiburg in the Europa League final, winning their first major trophy in 30 years. A volley from Youri Tielemans and a top corner shot from Emi Buendia gave them a 2-0 lead by half-time, before Morgan Rodgers hit the near post just after the break to seal their fifth Europa League title, extending Unai Emery’s record.
Prince William visited Istanbul to watch Villa win their first silver medal since the 1996 League Cup and their first European trophy since the 1982 European Cup. With this victory, Emery has now won the Europa League three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal, further cementing his reputation as the king of the competition.
Villa’s direct approach with a long shot at Ollie Watkins had some success, but it was their training ground set-piece routine that gave them the lead. A short corner was taken by Rodgers, whose delicate cross to the back post hit the unmarked Tielemans, who fired a low volley into the corner.
Eight minutes later, as half-time approached, Freiburg’s defense again gave them too much space, allowing Buendia to score a top corner from the edge of the box to make it 2-0. Television cameras showed Prince William celebrating wildly in the stands with thousands of enthusiastic Villa supporters.
Join us on Facebook! For the latest news, analysis and more on our Mirror Football Facebook page
read more: Southampton lose, Middlesbrough make Spygate appeal ahead of Championship play-off finalread more: Why does Prince William support Aston Villa? Why the future king loves the Europa League finalists
The occasion was equally important for Freiburg, who had never before appeared in a major continental final of any kind. However, the German team, who finished seventh in the Bundesliga, struggled against an overwhelming Villa team and missed their biggest chance early on when Nicolas Hofler’s shot went off target.
Rodgers tested Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atbolu early on, sneaking in at his near post to touch home Buendia’s low cross to score. After winning the game, Villa turned to the bench and watched comfortably as the fans cheered in the stands.
Emery won the Europa League with Sevilla in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and Villarreal in 2021. And although he lost the 2019 final against Arsenal and Chelsea, he was already the most successful manager in the competition’s history even before Villa’s perfect night at Besiktas Park.
Prince William was present to celebrate Aston Villa’s success (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
The 54-year-old will join Villa in October 2022, promising to bring silverware to the club. He has now fulfilled that promise in the tournament that defined his managerial career.
Villa sit fourth in the Premier League table ahead of their final game of the season against Manchester City on Sunday, with qualification for next season’s Champions League already assured. However, their victory will please Bournemouth and Brighton fans. If Villa drop to fifth place on the final day, a sixth place finish will qualify them for the Champions League.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Aston Villa – Europa League Glory Special Edition now on sale
Unai Emery and his team took home the silverware at Villa Park with the Europa League crown. And to commemorate this, we have created this special edition of this wonderful souvenir that marks Villa’s path to glory.
Packed with interviews, features, striking images and celebrations from a memorable season.
Order your copy here
