News Focus
- Aston Villa lift the 2025/26 Europa League trophy after a 3-0 victory over SC Freiburg in Istanbul
- Unai Emery wins his fifth Europa League title as a manager, extending his record in the competition
- Goals from Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendía and Morgan Rogers seal the dominant win
- Freiburg suffer heartbreak in their first-ever European final appearance
- Villa claim their second continental trophy, 44 years after their 1982 European Cup success
Aston Villa have won the 2025/26 Europa League following a convincing 3-0 victory against SC Freiburg in the final. The match took place in Istanbul.
The Premier League side controlled the game from the start. They scored twice before the break to establish a comfortable lead. Morgan Rogers added a third goal after half-time to seal the win.
Unai Emery, the Villa manager, has now won this competition five times. This extends his record as the most successful manager in the tournament’s history.
Freiburg were appearing in their first European final. The German club started the match with energy. Igor Matanović had a heading chance in the opening minute, but he missed the target.
Villa responded with several dangerous attacks. Rogers forced an early save from goalkeeper Noah Atubolu. The England international also had another opportunity in the tenth minute, though he failed to hit the target.
The match became physical during the early stages. The referee showed yellow cards to Philip Treu, Emiliano Buendía and Matty Cash within the first twenty minutes.
Freiburg created their first clear chance in the 33rd minute. Johan Manzambi shot from range, but the effort was weak and easily saved. The same player later made a promising cross from the left wing, but no teammate was available to convert it.
Villa opened the scoring in the 41st minute. Rogers took a corner kick and Tielemans scored with a powerful first-time shot. The Belgian midfielder was unmarked inside the penalty area.
Just before the half-time whistle, Buendía doubled the lead. The Argentine playmaker curled a shot into the net from outside the box. This goal gave Villa a strong advantage at the interval.
The English team maintained control after the restart. Rogers made it 3-0 in the 60th minute with a close-range finish. Buendía provided the assist with a precise pass.
Freiburg struggled to create chances in the second half. Substitute Amadou Onana hit the goalpost with a header late in the game. Buendía nearly scored again, but Atubolu made a good save. Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez had little work to do during the second period.
This victory gives Aston Villa their second European trophy. They previously won the European Cup in 1982 against Bayern Munich. Freiburg must wait longer for their first major honour. They will play in the Conference League next season.
Four years ago, Freiburg lost the German Cup final to RB Leipzig on penalties. This defeat adds to their disappointment in knockout competitions.