Istanbul, May 21 (SANA) Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the UEFA Europa League final in Istanbul on Wednesday to end a 30-year wait for a major trophy and secure their first European title since winning the European Cup in 1982.
Goals from Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendía before the break gave Villa control before Morgan Rogers added a third after halftime.
The victory gave manager Unai Emery a fifth Europa League title in his managerial career.
Nine members of Villa’s 1982 European Cup-winning squad attended the final at Besiktas Park in Istanbul, while Britain’s Prince William, a longtime Villa supporter, also celebrated with fans after the final whistle.
Villa took control late in the first half when Tielemans volleyed in following a short-corner routine four minutes before the break. Buendía doubled the lead in stoppage time with a curling strike from outside the penalty area.
Rogers sealed the win shortly before the hour mark, finishing from close range after Buendía’s cross.
Emery said the Europa League triumph reflected the club’s progress and ambition.
“We are showing our development with this trophy,” Emery said. “When I arrived, my dream was to play in Europe and compete for trophies. This is the first one we are achieving, but we are not going to stop.”
Villa captain John McGinn said Prince William visited the dressing room before kickoff to support the team.
Villa’s Europa League triumph could also affect England’s allocation of Champions League places next season. If Villa finish fifth in the Premier League while already qualifying through their Europa League victory, an additional Champions League place could pass to the team finishing sixth.
Supporters are now awaiting Villa’s final Premier League match against Manchester City, which will determine the club’s domestic finishing position.
M.F / ABD
