Aston Villa F.C. secured the UEFA Europa League title after defeating SC Freiburg in Istanbul, giving manager Unai Emery a fifth European trophy as a coach.
The victory also marked Aston Villa’s first European title in 44 years and secured qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Emery had previously won the Europa League three times with Sevilla FC and once with Villarreal CF before guiding Villa to continental success.
The final began at a high tempo, with Freiburg creating an early opportunity through Ivan Matanović before Villa gradually established control through possession and attacking pressure.
Morgan Rogers played an important role in Villa’s attacking build up, while Ezri Konsa helped maintain composure in possession as the Premier League side dominated large periods of the opening half.
Villa eventually took the lead through Youri Tielemans, who converted from a well worked corner routine after being left unmarked inside the area.
The English side extended their advantage before half time when Emiliano Buendía produced a curling finish into the top corner.
Freiburg struggled to create clear opportunities throughout the match, registering only two shots on target across the entire contest.
Villa continued to threaten after the restart and effectively secured victory when Rogers converted from close range following another attacking move involving Buendía.
The remainder of the match saw Villa maintain control as Freiburg found it difficult to build attacking momentum against Emery’s organised side.
The victory represents another major European achievement for Emery, while Aston Villa add another continental trophy to their history after a strong Europa League campaign.
What a journey it's been with these two 💜 pic.twitter.com/qMTu38yaFN
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 20, 2026
