21 may 2026

Aston Villa win the Europa League and Emery secures his fifth title

Aston Villa are the UEFA Europa League champions. Unai Emery’s team defeated SC Freiburg 3-0 at Tüpraş Stadium in Istanbul, ending a 44-year wait for a major European trophy. This is Emery’s fifth Europa League triumph, secured with a flawless and well-managed final.

Two first-half goals changed everything.

Villa scored twice before halftime, seizing control of the match. Youri Tielemans opened the scoring in the 41st minute, finishing off a move initiated by Lucas Digne and orchestrated by Morgan Rogers. In first-half injury time, Emiliano Buendía doubled the lead from a John McGinn assist, punishing Freiburg on the counterattack. The timing was crucial, and Villa never looked back.

Rogers seals the win after halftime

Freiburg’s hopes were dashed when Rogers made it 3-0 in the 58th minute, assisted by Buendía. Amadou Onana, coming on, hit the post, while Freiburg were repeatedly caught offside and limited to just four attempts throughout the match. François Letexier maintained control of the final, picking up four yellow cards, while Aston Villa handled the match calmly.

The numbers speak for themselves

Freiburg dominated possession with 51% to Villa’s 49%, but Villa created far more dangerous chances. Their xG (expected goals) was 0.22 to 2.08, with 4 shots on target versus 17, and 12 touches in the box versus 32 in favor of Villa. Corners were 1 versus 8, and big chances 0 versus 2. Villa were also much more effective in the opposition half, completing 73 of 98 chances in front of goal compared to 38 of 70 for Freiburg. Freiburg was flagged offside five times, a sign of how well Villa’s defense held its ground.

Sofascore Ratings and Highlights

According to Sofascore, Tielemans led the final with a Sofascore rating of 8.4, adding two key passes and a goal. Buendía earned an 8.3 rating with a goal, an assist, and four key passes after an initial yellow card. Rogers scored, provided an assist, and recorded four shots for a 7.9, while McGinn provided an assist, three key passes, and a 7.6. Emiliano Martínez posted a 7.2 rating and prevented 0.30 goals, supporting a defense that allowed only two shots on target. For Freiburg, Maximilian Rosenfelder impressed off the bench with a 7.0, while Matthias Ginter and Igor Matanović both earned 6.9.

Finally a trophy for Villa

Forty-four years after the 1982 European Cup, Aston Villa have lifted a continental trophy again. Emery’s fifth Europa League title was achieved thanks to a precise plan, relentless finishing, and control of key moments. For complete match data, player heat maps, and all SofaScore scores from the final, visit the match page on SofaScore.