Unai Emery had argued against the notion that he was the Europa League king but, in front of royalty, he once again took the crown. Never mind a king, Emery was, here in Istanbul, the adored emperor.
As promised, the Prince of Wales was in attendance as his beloved Aston Villa so impressively won their first silverware in 30 long years and their first European trophy since lifting the European Cup in May 1982.
That was the month before Prince William was born and his celebrations – and there were tears – were as unbridled and joyous as any Villa fan. They so thoroughly deserved this.
“Oh, it must be… Peter Withe,” is no longer the only European soundtrack for Villa. It is Youri Tielemans. And Emiliano Buendía. And Morgan Rogers as Villa simply demolished Freiburg. That is a lot of names to wrap around Villa Park but the achievements warrant it and surely we can expect an added livery to the grand stadium. Heroes all and all joined by their team-mates.
And Emery? What a remarkable manager. It is five times in just 12 years that he has won this trophy (after 2014, 2015 and 2016 with Sevilla and 2021 with Villarreal) and as the England manager Thomas Tuchel said: surely it is now time to name it after him.
For Villa it has been decades of hurt. For Emery it has been just the five years without a trophy and, at the end, the players lifted him up on Emiliano Martínez’s shoulders and presented him to the fans as well they might. They know his importance and his status.
It also means that the first leg of, potentially, a European clean sweep by Premier League clubs has been achieved. Now over to you, first Crystal Palace and then Arsenal.
It even opens the door for Bournemouth to qualify for the Champions League, a sixth English team, if results go for them in the final weekend. But that can wait. For now it is about Villa and it is about partying and it is about basking in the glory, the enjoyment and the relief. There would be little sleep in this vast, vibrant city. Or back in Birmingham.
As with in Rotterdam 44 years ago, with that Withe goal bringing back the trophy against Bayern Munich, Villa were in white. All-white. And Freiburg? Like their fellow German team Bayern, they were in all-red.
An omen?
It proved to be. In the end there were three goals in 17 pulsating minutes, either side of half-time, and the identity of each scorer spoke to what Emery has done with Villa. They were in danger of being relegated when he succeeded Steven Gerrard in October 2022.
The first was Tielemans, a shrewd free transfer from Leicester City. The second was Buendía, bought before Emery arrived, for a then club record fee, who lost his way and went out on loan but fought back into the reckoning.
And the third? That was Rogers, acquired for a snip at an initial £8m and now crucial to England’s World Cup hopes and possibly at the centre of a summer bidding war that could see him being sold for more than 10 times that amount.
Villa have spent money. But they perform way above that. There is a special kind of alchemy that has been worked by Emery who has again made them Champions League participants, only missing out last year on goal difference, and now trophy winners. All he has touched has turned to silver. In the coffers and on the pitch.
The goals were also rich in quality. Worthy of any final. Step forward, also, set-piece coach Austin MacPhee as Tielemans opened the scoring from a fabulously worked corner. The choreography was clever as players rushed in, leading Freiburg to expect the ball to be delivered into the six-yard area by Rogers after it was played short.
Instead he sent it deep to where Tielemans had pulled away and delayed his run. As it dropped from the sky it felt he would score and so the midfielder volleyed it unerringly into the net.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026Sensational from Youri Tielemans 🤯
An absolute rocket to give Aston Villa the lead in the Europa League final 🚀
📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/zOZAIDXLKg
The Belgian likes a spectacular strike in a final and after his match-winning goal for Leicester to win the FA Cup in 2021, here was another and it felt like the Holte End had moved to the Turkish city.
It will have hurt Freiburg even more that it came from a set-piece given they have an almost Arsenal-like reputation at being dangerous from them.
Except Villa were not done there. With the final kick of the half, they went and scored again. And it was probably an even better strike than Tielemans’ with Buendía collecting a pass inside from John McGinn, taking a touch on the edge of the penalty area and arcing his shot around goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026Buendía brilliance ✨
Emiliano Buendía with a beauty to make it 2-0 to Aston Villa just before half-time 🎯
📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/sVmWF0Leoa
With a four-minute flurry Villa had probably claimed the two best goals in the competition this season and the supporters danced and sang throughout half-time. The only danger for Villa was believing it was already over. But it soon was.
Again, it was a superbly constructed goal as Buendía ran down the left, checked and delivered a low cross to the near post that Rogers anticipated and stabbed in.
But it is not just those three. What about McGinn? The indefatigable McGinn. The Scot scored the winning goal that promoted Villa back into the Premier League in 2019 and scored two more in the semi-final win over Nottingham Forest to reach this final. Here he had an assist.
After becoming the first Villa captain to receive a trophy since Andy Townsend claimed the League Cup in 1996, there were knee slides from McGinn and his children in front of the cheering Villa supporters. What a character in a team studded with players so often motivated beyond their means.
There could have been more goals but Freiburg were broken and the final was won. The trophy quest was over and that party? It began. “Hi-Ho Aston Villa” was belted out. Away you go baby. Europe was theirs. And, once again, Emery’s.
Unai Emery speaks to TNT Sports
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It’s fantastic. Europe gave us a lot and gave myself a lot. I am grateful for Europe and the clubs I worked at have shown the way. The owners, the players, it’s important that we go strongly in this competition. We played it a very serious way, very, very focused.
The first title. This final is the confirmation of how we’re progressing. It’s important for them and the supporters who give us that energy in every single game. To win this title makes sense of everything we’re doing.
We are working to get better. They are working to extend the stadium by 10,000. We are trying to be demanding inside. Next year we play in the Champions League. Extending the players’ contracts. we have to be demanding in our project because the project only makes sense if we are winning things.
We are improving. The brand is increasing which is very important. Football watches us getting ambitious.
We must try to be ambitious but clear and realistic. I am ambitious but I need support from the players, the owners.
Next year the Champions League is the next challenge. The Premier League is the most difficult thing in the world but hopefully we can get close to Arsenal, Manchester City. we are trying to get there, be consistent in the top seven. Getting this trophy is adding experiences for us.
Today I was ready to win, ready to lose because it’s an experience [which would make us better]. But winning is better.
Austin [McPhee] is a fantastic creator. We have to be demanding in our details, We try every day in our training session [to get it right]. You can win a lot of matches with set pieces. Congratulations to Austin.
Buendia is very, very competitive. He didn’t train two days ago. But he said he was ready this morning.
A word from the Prince of Wales
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— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 20, 2026Amazing night!! Huge congratulations to all the players, team,staff and everyone connected to the club! 44 years since the last taste of European silverware!
Special shout out to Boubacar Kamara who has been out injured but is such an integral part of our team and helped lay… https://t.co/sXLzgzvFoW
John McGinn speaks to TNT Sports
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I can’t believe it. What we’ve been through as a club. This club was close to being in a really bad way seven years ago. Nassef and Wes bought it with one remit to get it back to the Premier League.
The pride I felt at 3-0 up with 10 minutes to go, thinking ‘we’re European champions’ was something I can’t even describe.
I don’t think we started really well. But we have a great set-piece coach. We set up like the Liverpool corner and deceived them a bit.
As a kid growing up I remember Celtic in Seville, I was lucky enough to go to the Uefa Cup final at Hampden. Being 31, my first final. I’ve watched my mates win trophies like Andy Robertson. It’s not the big one but I’ll cherish it. I’m really going to try and take it in.
I wasn’t nervous tonight. I was nervous for the semi-final. But I was confident of our ability. Every away end in the Championship was packed to the rafters. Even if we fell back to the Championship again they’d be full again.
[Prince William] is a very classy guy, a normal guy. Perhaps tonight he could have a few drinks with us.
With this manager in charge, anything’s possible. We keep building. Champions League next season.
You’re not going to be able to knock the cheesy grin off my face tonight.
Change the name of the trophy
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A very brief word from Ezri Konsa
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It’s mental. I don’t know what to say. It’s been a long journey. Seven years. Lots of up and downs [and with that he’s off for the third time in a minute for a group photo].
I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. To finally bring back some silverware for these fans, it’s amazing. Look how much it means to the fans and some of us who’ve been here a long time too. They’ve been through thick and thin.
Now it’s the ubiquitous Sweet Caroline on the PA.
Aston Villa win the 2025-26 Europa League
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John McGinn lifts the Europa League trophy
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Prince William raises his phone to record the trophy lift. The younger generation, eh?
Villa go up for their medals
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The injured Boubacar Kamara is among them as is Ross Barkley who wasn’t registered after injury.
Ollie Watkins speaks to TNT Sports
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To perform like that was unbelievable. We really controlled the game and punished them in the end. Set pieces are crucial in finals. Until then it was cagey but we worked an unbelievable set piece. Fair play to Austin [McPhee].
It’s so special. [Unai Emery] was really calm in the build-up. That set the tone. Victor [Lindelof] was my man of the match tonight.
Where’s the party? Istanbul!
Wild ride
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Youri Tielemans speaks to TNT Sports
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We put in a shift. It’s been a great season. To top it off with this, it’s amazing. We only had one day to practise [the corner]. We did it on Monday and it went brilliantly tonight. It’s been a season with a lot of ups and downs. We started so poor but the way we turned things around was great. We’ve got Champions League and a trophy! Up the Villa!
Morgan Rogers speaks to TNT Sport
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We’ve worked so hard for this. We knew we had one more game and we gave it our all. We all delivered. What a great day for the fans. It will go down in history.
So much excitement. We all knew our tasks at hand to get the job done.
The manager’s been banging on at me to get in the box and get easier goals and I managed to get a toe on it.
Villa players are in front of their fans
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And dancing wildly. Even Harvey Elliott, who has had a year to forget, is bouncing and now has a Europa League winners medal to go with last year’s Premier League winners medal.
Emi Martínez has Unai Emery on his shoulders.
Full time: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Villa break their 30-year trophy drought, Unai Emery wins his fifth Europa League and Prince William celebrates his team winning their first European trophy since 1982, the year of his birth.
90 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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You have to love European referees, hand-ball calls apart. One minute of added time signalled.
89 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Treu strides down the right from Manzambi’s pass and his cross is closed down by Maatsen, the ball rebounding off him for a throw-in.
87 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Scherhant gives Konsa a shove after the Villa defender held on when both were on the floor. Villa free-kick 40 yards out on the left:
Mings → Pau Torres
Douglas Luiz → Tielemans.
85 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Rogers tries to force over a cross from the byline on the right and accepts a corner when it is closed down quickly.
83 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Smart save by Martinez from Manzambi’s header but the offside flag make sit redundant.
80 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Sancho → Buendía
Maatsen → Digne
Both Maatsen and Sancho played in the Champions League final for Dortmund against Real Madeid two years ago and lost 2-0. Maatsen;s mistake helped Real Madrid to double their lead. It’s a happier night here for both.
78 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Villa corner on the left, helped on by Buendia to the far post where McGinn meets it and shoots first time, low towards the bottom right corner but Atubolu dives low to grab it and thwart the Scotsman and those who want Villa’s most popular player to bag one for himself.
75 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Buendia fluffs a chance to make it 4-0, which would equal Sevilla’s 4-0 trouncng of Middlesbrough 20 years ago. Tielemans plays a terrific pass down the inside-left channel for Buendía who dribbles with pitter-patter feet, sits the keeper down, gives him the eyes to try to sell him a dummy as if aiming for the far post but ends up diddling himself and sticking his shot into the side-netting. Tielemans punches the air in exasperation.
73 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Villa are pinging passes around now. They’re strolling around with cigars in their mouths.
Two more Freiburg subs:
Makengo → Kubler
Scherhant → Grifo
71 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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McGinn swings the corner beyond the back post and Onana heads it on to the post from the goal-line. He had whitewash on his boots so tight was the angle. Freiburg scramble it behind and from the next corner, this one on the left, they work it short to Tielemans to square it to Cash who crashes a right-foot shot over the bar. Think there might have been a bobble.
68 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Watkins is freed down the inside-right, messes up his first touch which nonetheless knocks the ball past Ginter but he doesn’t quite have the pace to drive past him, allowing Ginter to slide back in and turn it behind for a corner.
65 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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First Villa sub:
Onana ⇢ Lindelof.
It’s a European triumph for Villa but refreshing to hear that their first priority is always local. Hence the rousing chorus of ‘S--- on the City’ resounding around a stadium in Istanbul.
63 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Freiburg have done nothing for the last half-hour to trouble Villa or even see if Martínez’s finger is up to snuff.
60 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3
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Two Freiburg changes. Too much, too little, too late…
Holer → Lienhart
Rosenfelder → Hofler
GOAL!
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Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 3 (Rogers) Another cracking goal. McGinn’s crossfield pass is met by Digne in his stride. The left-back slips a pass forward to Buendía who faces up Kübler, skitters round him and skims over a cross that Rogers meets with a clever run off the Ginter’s shoulder to turn it in from fairly close range.
55 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 2
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Freiburg are trying to commit more players forward and it takes some great anticipation from Pau Torres from a long throw to stop Mantanovic and two team-mates from latching on to it.
Villa’s fans are going through their ‘greatest hits’. They’ve been singing about Ollie Watkins, Super John McGinn and Emi Buendia. Villa’s players just have to be careful they don’t get sucked into the party mood just yet.
53 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 2
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Rogers is a powerful yet sinuous runner and is clipped after beating two men 35 yards out. Tielemans chips the free-kick over the defensive line and Watkins, who had peeled away, lances out his right leg to try to prod a volley when through on goal. But he would have needed to be at least 6 inches taller to connect with any power, scuffing it instead.
51 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 2
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Buendía reaches into his bag of tricks and tries to chip the keeper with an angled shot on the right. Atubolu backpedals and catches it. Right idea but it needed more loft.
50 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 2
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Watkins mugs Hofler on halfway, racing away with the ball and dribbles 30 yards, deciding to shoot before the pursuing pack nabs him and smashes it into Lienhart.
48 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 2
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McGinn slides in front of Treu, catches him and Eggestein demands punishment from the referee. He wards a free-kick but no more.
46 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 2
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No changes. McGinn chips a long diagonal from right to left and Watkins sprints after it. Kubler eases him off the ball.
Scenes in the press box
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Two belting goals from Aston Villa and they are in total control going into half-time.
The stadium is bouncing with Villa fans who sense a famous night. Ian Taylor, the former Villa midfielder on co-commentary up here in the press box, was going wild when both those goal went in.
Europa League trophy number five for Unai Emery is well on track.
Half-time: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 2
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It had been quite an even game for 35 minutes and then Villa just accelerated away with two wonderful goals to seize the game. Freiburg may feel they’ve been pickpocketed but it was done with such elan one can’t help but admire it.
Both goals were the product of Villa’s players pinning the Freiburg back four deep in the box, opening the space for the two world-class finishes which should be judged on artistic merit as well as utility.
GOAL!
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Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 2 (Buendia) If anything, that’s better. Buendía receives the ball about 10 yards in from the right touchline, taps the ball past the first defender then wraps his left instep around the ball and bends it in to the top right from 18 yards. The whip on it was extraordinary because the ball seemed to be on a trajectory to take it a foot wide but it curled round at the last, giving Atubolu no hope.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026Buendía brilliance ✨
Emiliano Buendía with a beauty to make it 2-0 to Aston Villa just before half-time 🎯
📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/sVmWF0Leoa
Wow, wow, wow. What a finish to the first half for Villa. They’re two goals up with two contenders for goal of the tournament. Buendia is some story for Emery’s team, having been sent out on loan last season. What a redemption arc.
45+2 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 1
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From the corner Tielemans works the ball through to the back post where Konsa, claiming he was held, has to telescope out a leg to shoot but can’t force his effort on target.
45+1 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 1
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Corners at both ends and Freiburg are forced to keep five back by Villa posting four men on halfway. Which means that when the cross comes in Martínez is under virtually no pressure to catch it. He releases quickly and Villa pour forward on the break to earn one of their own.
45 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 1
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As good a volley as you’ll see.
As they say in Birmingham, that’s bostin from Austin Macphee, Villa’s set-piece coach. That was right off the training ground for Tielemans’ goal and another triump from Macphee. For those who don’t know ‘bostin’ is Brummie slang for great.
GOAL!
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Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 1 (Tielemans) What a goal! An absolute pearler. Digne’s cross was turned behind by Kubler to stop it reaching Watkins. From the corner, which Villa played short, the ball is chipped to the right of the D from Rogers on the left and Tielemans meets it with superb technique, putting his laces through a volley and it screams past the defenders and into the bottom left.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026Sensational from Youri Tielemans 🤯
An absolute rocket to give Aston Villa the lead in the Europa League final 🚀
📺 TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/zOZAIDXLKg
Youri Tielemans has form for scoring in big finals.
The Belgium midfielder delivered a missile to win Leicester City the FA Cup in 2021, and this was another brilliant strike.
Villa’s goal has come at a perfect time for them, just a few minutes before half-time.
41 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Manzambi roasts Lindelof on the Villa right, gets to the byline and wafts a cross through the six-yard box that was screaming out for a touch from a red shirt but Matanovic didn’t buy a ticket.
39 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Villa break from defending that free-kick. Tielemans header sets Villa off on a break and Rogers plays an excellent reverse pass, heavily disguised, to Buendia down the inside left. He fizzes a pass to McGinn who shoots first time but straight into Lienhart. Excellent block.
37 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Lindelof clips Manzambi from behind and gives Grifo another dead ball opportunity that comes to nothing.
35 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Watkins controls a pass, back to goal, on the 18-yard line. He tries to jink and trick his way past Treu, Lienhart and Hofler who stick to their task, watch the ball and force him up a cul de sac.
33 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Manzambi wins the ball from Tielemans and receives a pass back from Matanovic 30 yards out. He takes on the early shot after taking a couple of strides. The ball swerves and dips just in front of Martinez who, nonetheless, pulls off a good save low to his right.
31 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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That’s better: Cash plays a one-two with Watkins after being played down the line by McGinn then tries to arc a cross with the outside of his right boot to Rogers advancing towards the back post. The ball drifts invitingly but Ginter gets the crown of his head at the apex of his jump on it to steer it away and Rogers is penalised for a push on Kubler who was trying to shield the ball and stop it going out for a corner.
29 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Linedlof jumps ahead of Matanovic to try to trap the ball with his chest but hits the deck when shoved, mid-air, by Matanovic.
27 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Now Manzambi overhits a long ball and Martinez lets it bounce out for a goal-kick.
25 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Both sides are knocking long balls. Villa catch Matanovic in their offside trap. Martinez’s 80-yard launch skips beyond Watkins and is gathered by Atubolu.
23 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Villa see off the free-kick comfortably and moments later Martinez goes for a route one ball right up the middle. Watkins tussles for it in the D and comes off worst in a strong challenge with Treu.
Three players in the book already. One for Freiburg and Buendia and Cash for Villa. Cash’s foul was not particularly pretty and the German club’s bench were very unhappy about it. Freiburg’s big strength is their set pieces, so Villa have to be more careful.
21 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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‘You’re not fit to referee,’ sing the Villa fans, erroneously after Cash is booked for catching Grifo just below the knee with all six studs as he lanced out a leg, won the ball but followed through. A yellow card all day, every day. Even the benign Ally McCoist revises his initial opinion and says. ‘Naughtier than I first thought.’
18 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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The cross is bent in from the right. Pau Torres, retreating and under pressure from the spin Grifo put on it, heads it back to the edge of the box. Hofler gets his knee over it but his connection is poor and he scuffs it wide of the right post on the volley. Good chance.
That was the first evidence of the danger Freiburg will pose with the dead ball.
Their specialist from set-pieces is Vincenzo Grifo and that delivery from a free kick did cause Villa problems.
Unai Emery’s message will surely be to cut out the cheap free kicks near the Villa penalty area.
16 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Digne manhandles Manzambi who managed to wiggle in front of him and hold him off. The Villa left-back holds him to stop him bursting away. The free-kick is headed away and the ball comes back to Beste who is clotheslined by Buendía’s outstretched right arm across the Adam’s apple. Free-kick and a booking for the Argentine No 10.
13 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Villa seem to be targeting the inside-left channel between Kubler and Ginter. Buendía and Rogers keep switching positions, sniping in and out. And the passes, whether long diagonals or shorter pings keep probing that gap.
11 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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We’ve just seen Lindelof excelling in a forward role but now he’s back in the old right-half position to stop Manzambi picking out Matanovic’s run.
Rogers is looking to shoot from distance so far. His first effort was saved and his second drifted just wide. The forward scored against Liverpool last Friday night and it looks like he fancies another in the final.
9 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Cute pass from Lindelof from a Villa throw-in on the left parallel with the 18-yard line sends Rogers down the inside-left channel.Rogers opens his body and whistles a curling shot inches wide of the top right corner.
7 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Early yellow card for the Freiburg left-back Treu. McGinn had employed his snake-hips to twist away from Treu who grabbed him round the waist to stop him running free.
Already looks inevitable that the key battle will be between Ollie Watkins and Matthias Ginter.
Villa appear to be going long for Watkins and hoping he can beat Ginter with pace, and it has almost worked a few times already.
Big moment with that booking for Freiburg left-back Philipp Treu. You can imagine Villa will be targeting him down the right flank now.
5 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Watkins seems to have the strength to spin Lienhart and turns to shoot but scrapes the top of the ball with his studs as he stretched for it which takes all the power out of his effort, making it an easy save for Atubolu. Wouldn’t have counted as the offside flag goes up once Atubolu had saved it.
3 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Lightning start and now Rogers finds some space in the Freiburg box, turns and hammers a shot that Atubolu, the Germany U21 keeper, dives low to his right to bat away with a very firm wrist.
1 min: Freiburg 0 Aston Villa 0
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Quick start by Freiburg who push Villa on to the back foot and Matanovic gets on the end of a right-wing cross but steers it wide.
Prince William takes his seat
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In at No 1
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Martínez is starting for Villa. Unai Emery will be praying that he’s OK and doesn’t feel anything during the game.
Out come the teams
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Freiburg are in a special Europa League final kit of all red. Villa are in white with a hint of imperial purple.
More choreography, this time in the stands
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Does every final require an opening ceremony?
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I’m afraid it does. Some big club badge choreography proceeds for a few minutes with dancers in half and half mufti, black and orange, for the competition
If it happens again…
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If, and of course it remains an if at this stage, Emiliano Martínez pulls out of tonight’s match, it won’t be the first time.
Three times this season already Martínez has withdrawn from a match before kick-off with an injury.
Unai Emery will be furious if this happens again on such a big night for the club. The next 15 minutes will be interesting…
Unai Emery speaks to TNT Sports
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Very normal [build-up]. We have tried to analyse our opponent, respecting them a lot. Our goal is to be focused with the game plan.
The fans are very important. This day is for them.
[What’s your attitude?] Respect Europe, respect the opponent and play completely focused on our game plan. Play with personality as we have done all season.
The players on the bench must have good impact. It could be 90 minutes. It could be extra-time. It could be a shoot-out.
And if you know your history…
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Villa did, of course, lose a goalkeeper in a European final once before. A certain Nigel Spink had to replace Jimmy Rimmer early in the European Cup final in 1982. That didn’t turn out too badly for Villa.
Praise from a predecessor
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Dean Smith is backing his old club to end their trophy drought tonight.
Smith is currently in charge of Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer but there is no doubt he will be watching.
He told Telegraph Sport: “I think the players are looking really confident. They were brilliant against Nottingham Forest in the second leg and against Liverpool. They know how they want to play and have got a really good structure.
“Just look at Ollie Watkins. He absolutely ran Liverpool ragged and I’ll be amazed if he doesn’t go to the World Cup now.
“It’s been too long since they won a trophy but I’m expecting them to do it on Wednesday. It’s their time.”
Martinez update
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Hopefully good news for Martínez. After getting some more treatment and testing whatever was wrong with some crosses, he seems to have signalled he is OK and the Villa physios have left the pitch again. Maybe one to watch in the early stages of the game.
Martinez scare
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There looks as if there has been a slight scare for Villa goalkeeper Emi Martínez in the warm-up. He seemed to hurt his hand and has had it looked at by the physios. He’s currently warming up by just passing the ball around with one of his gloves off.
Freiburg fans have taken to a Besiktas cat
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But beware. Back in 2018, Besiktas were fined £28,000 by Uefa when cat stopped play at this stadium
TNT reports that Prince William has been addressing the players in the changing rooms
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Better than Zidane… according to the song at least
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This promises to be a special night for ‘Meatball’ aka Aston Villa’s John McGinn.
Signed for just £2.5m from Hibernian in 2018 when Villa operated in the Championship, he has been a key player in their rise under Dean Smith and now Unai Emery.
His two goals against Nottingham Forest in the semi-final second leg further proved his enduring quality and just how crucial he is to the team.
McGinn will be the first Villa captain since Andy Townsend in 1996 to lift a trophy if his team wins tonight.
Match details
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The match, at Besiktas Park, kicks off at 8pm BST and is being shown exclusively live on TNT Sports 1. In the US it’s on Paramount+, DAZN, TUDN and in Germany on RTL.
Your teams in black and white
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Freiburg Atubolu; Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Treu; Eggestein, Hofler; Beste, Manzambi, Grifo; Matanovic.
Substitutes Müller, Huth, Jung, Osterhage, Scherhant, Holer, Irie, Philipp, Gunter, Makengo, Rosenfelder, Ogbus.
Aston Villa Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Lindelof, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendía; Watkins.
Substitutes Bizot, Wright, Mings, Elliott, García, Abraham, Sancho, Douglas Luiz, Maatsen, Onana, Bogarde, Bailey.
Referee: François Letexier (France)
Write off Freiburg at your peril
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Villa are obviously hot favourites here tonight, but should we dismiss Freiburg so easily?
They finished seventh in the Bundesliga and have established a reputation at being very adept at set-pieces.
Freiburg defeated Braga in their semi-final and also beat Genk and Celta Vigo in the knockout stages.
Players to watch are dead ball specialist Vincenzo Grifo and top scorer Igor Matanovic.
Has to be said their fans have been very noisy so far. They clearly believe a shock is on.
Freiburg binned Twitter two years ago in disgust at the racism on the platform
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So here’s their starting XI in the traditional format:
Atubolu; Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Treu; Eggestein, Höfler; Beste, Manzambi, Grifo; Matanovic.
Villa team news
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As expected. Lindelof starts in midfield, Onana returns on the bench.
Opta’s stats pack
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- Opta has Villa favourites to win the final with a 68 per cent probability of victory for the Midlands club.
- This is only Freiburg’s second-ever major final. Last was in the 2021/22 DFB-Pokal final where they lost to RB Leipzig on penalties. Lukas Kubler, Nicolas Hofler, Vincenzo Grifo, Philipp Lienhart, Lucas Holer all survive from that squad.
- This will be the sixth final Emery will have managed in, matching the tally of Carlo Ancelotti, Sir Alex Ferguson and José Mourinho. Only Giovanni Trapattoni has managed more (7).
- If he wins he will become the first manager to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League with three different clubs.
- Emery has only lost two Europa League games with Villa.
- This is Freiburg’s first European final, they are the 16th German side to feature in one.
- Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo has scored or assisted in his last five appearances in the competition.
- Villa beat both German sides they met in the Champions League last season - Bayern Munich (1-0) and RB Leipzig (3-2)
- This is the 11th major final between an English club ad German club. The last was 2012 Champions League final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich. English teams have won eight of the last ten.
Who’s in the house?
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Aston Villa’s co-owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens are both here in Istanbul for the club’s first major European final since 1982.
The Prince of Wales is also expected to be here for the big night, after watching Villa sweep Forest aside in the semi-final second leg.
Earlier this week Ezri Konsa gave an intriguing insight into the Villa obsession of the future king, revealing that Prince William once described him as a “Rolls-Royce”. Read it here.
Heads and Tayls
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I’ve just bumped into one of the heroes of Villa’s last major trophy triumph – Ian Taylor, who scored one of the goals in the 3-0 League Cup victory over Leeds United. When I asked him if Villa are going to do it tonight, he said: “Of course. We’re going to have to stop talking about ’96 after tonight.” I’m not sure about that, but Villa are aiming to create new memories for their latest generation of fans.
Matty Cash speaks to TNT Sports
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Really loud, full of Villans everywhere. Really excited and really looking forward to it.
It means everything. Such a fantastic club, a massive club. We have a great opportunity to give the fans all they deserve, a trophy back at Villa Park.
We spoke about the importance of the final but we have done similar stuff to what we’ve done before in the Premier League and
Unai has done so well in this competition. We believe in him.
We only watched one video today. It was an hour-and-a-half, though!
I normally have a nap on game day but not today.
We’ve built a platform over the past few years. You’ve got to enjoy it but you know you have a job to do.
Inside Unai Emery’s meticulous preparation
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On Tuesday night, Unai Emery valiantly battled to downplay his reputation as the Europa League king.
Yet after winning it four times before, it is a reputation he undoubtedly deserves.
He is Villa’s secret weapon in big pressure games like this and will have made sure no stone is unturned in the squad’s preparations.
For a deeper look into Emery’s methods, read this piece from earlier this week.
Villa’s first trophy in 30 years would mean everything to fans like me
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The last time Aston Villa won a major trophy, The Prodigy were No 1 in the charts with Firestarter, Harold and Madge Bishop were reunited in Neighbours and I was a teenager rocking a “curtains” haircut.
That was in 1996. But 30 years later, The Prodigy are touring again and Neighbours re-runs have returned to UK television. Having recently turned 47, I sadly cannot recreate my former hairstyle, which is also back in vogue. Villa, though, have the chance to wind back the clock in the Europa League final.
I was among the Villa fans at Wembley to see my team lift the League Cup trophy in 1994 and 1996. Since then, I have had to sit through Birmingham City winning the same competition at Wembley; it was purely for work purposes, but it is a source of embarrassment that Blues have won a major trophy more recently than Villa.
Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends
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Istanbul’s Taksim Square was heaving a few hours ago, with a healthy mix of Villa and Freiburg supporters.
It has all been very good-natured and friendly so far – despite a huge police presence – and many fans are already here in the stadium.
Kick-off is 10pm here local time so if we experience the dreaded two words for any football reporter - e---- t--- - it could be a very late night. By the way, those two words are the equivalent of whispering ‘Macbeth’ to any aspiring theatre actors (one for Blackadder fans, there).
Have to agree with my colleague Matt Law, too, which is a first. There is the unmistakable whiff of wee up here in the press box.
‘We can beat anybody’
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Emiliano Martínez is targeting his first trophy with Aston Villa after admitting he could have left the club last summer.
Martínez has insisted he made the “right choice” to stay amid strong interest from Manchester United and clubs in Saudi Arabia, and the Villa showman is now potentially 90 minutes away from lifting silverware.
Signed for £17m from Arsenal in September 2020, Martínez has won the World Cup with Argentina, two Copa Américas, the Finalissima, two Yashin trophies and two best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper awards but domestic success has eluded him.
His future at Villa appeared uncertain at the end of last season as he completed the lap of appreciation in tears with his family.
Yet he will face Freiburg in Wednesday’s Europa League final on a mission to write his name into club history and end Villa’s 30-year trophy drought.
“Well, I say goodbye and I cry when I left my family from Argentina to England as well,” Martínez said, in response to his tears in the final home game of last season.
“I am really proud to stay – I made the right choice. Sometimes football can change, managers can come in and go. You know, in football people move around the place. It doesn’t mean that I don’t have full respect for the club.
“I have a commitment with Aston Villa. I will always and forever love this club.
“Listen, I am in a European final and we have got Champions League again with all the circumstances that we have had and battles we have had this year. We are one of the lowest spenders in the Premier League. We have a top coach, a top captain and a decent core of the team. When we stick together and when we fight together, I think that we can beat anybody.”
Martínez always seems to come alive in big pressure games and he is the pantomime villain who loves winding up opponents.
Whatever the importance of the occasion, or the hostility of the environment, he seems to take centre stage and all eyes will be on him in Istanbul on Wednesday.
It has been a remarkable journey for ‘Dibu’, who left Argentina to join Arsenal at the age of 17.
His path to the top was not easy, with loan spells at Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Getafe and Reading as he fought to become a No 1.
“Even though I won the World Cup and a few titles with the national team, I still think about that young kid who left Argentina to save his family from poverty,” he said.
“One day I am going to retire, so someone else will need to be between the sticks. For Villa fans, when you meet them in Birmingham, they say:‘I’ve never seen Villa in a European final, never seen Villa lifting a trophy.’
“So I have the same mindset as I went into that first Copa América with Argentina. With that anger, with that belief and confidence that I can do it. I believe in my team and myself.”
Betting on this evening’s game?
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Preview: Thirty years of hurt…
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I am sure every Villa fan and many football fans of a certain age can roll these 12 names off their tongue: Rimmer, Spink, Swain, Williams, Evans. McNaught, Mortimer, Bremner, Shaw, Withe, Cowans and Morley. Winning the European Cup bestows a kind of immortality, a least in popular memory and affection. Villa’s heroes of Rotterdam in 1982 will be joined by a new generation tonight should Unai Emery win his fifth Europa League and his club their first serious trophy of any kind for 30 years. No, we’re not counting the Intertoto Cup. Any tournament that ends with three winners cannot claim to be serious, as nice a bauble as it was for Darius Vassell and co in 2001.
Standing between Villa and glory are SC Freiburg, the club from the beautiful, deep south-west of Germany who have made themselves Bundesliga stalwarts, spending 16 of the past 17 seasons in the top-flight and establishing themselves in the upper echelons with finishes of 6th, 5th, 10th, 5th and 7th in the last five seasons. They are very well run: solvent, stable and ambitious. This is only the second major final in their history, having lost the German Cup final in 2022 when they were beaten by RB Leipzig on penalties.
They have won all seven of their home games in the Europa League this season and saw off Genk, Celta Vigo and Braga to make it to tonight’s final at Besiktas Stadium. You may remember them playing West Ham four times in this competition in 2023-24, losing both group stage games under the old format before winning 1-0 at home in the Round of 16 then suffering a 5-0 Hammering in which Mohammed Kudus scored a breathtaking goal. Sadly, for them, their best player, Yuito Suzuki, has broken his collarbone and is unavailable but Vincenzo Grifo, their playmaker and all-time leading scorer, and the 6ft 5in Croatia centre-forward, Igor Matanovic, are very handy.
Villa have scored 28 goals so far in the competition, knocking out Lille 3-0 on aggregate in the R16, Bologna 7-1 in the quarter-final and Nottingham Forest 4-1 in the semi. They will be roared on tonight by their most famous fan, Nigel Kennedythe Prince of Wales, so prepare yourself for more reaction shots than actual action if coverage of the semi-final is anything to go by.