Aston Villa won their first Europa League title; Emery praised the players for showing a strong desire to win.

Goals from Tielemans, Buendia, and Morgan Rodgers secured a 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League final, lifting the trophy. In an interview, Unai Emery expressed his gratitude for the fans' enthusiastic support and praised the players for their strong desire for victory and achievement.

Aston Villa took a corner in the 41st minute, Morgan Rodgers chipped the ball into the box, and Tielemans volleyed it into the net, giving Aston Villa a 1-0 lead. In first-half stoppage time, McGinn passed the ball across the box, and Buendia, positioned at the edge of the penalty area, fired a long-range shot into the net, extending Aston Villa's lead over Freiburg to 2-0.

In the 58th minute of the second half, Buendia crossed the ball from the penalty area while dealing with the defense, and Morgan Rodgers slid in to score, helping Aston Villa extend their lead to 3-0.

Aston Villa ultimately triumphed 3-0 over Freiburg at Besiktas Stadium, claiming the title. In addition to ending a long trophy drought, Aston Villa also won their first-ever Europa League title.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said, "I am grateful to the club owners and every staff member at Aston Villa. Thank you all, especially the fans. Throughout the season, the fans have been with us, whether it was away games, European matches, or whichever country we went to, there were always three or four thousand people there to support us."

"In this match, it felt like we were still at Villa Park. Since winning the European Cup in 1982, the fans have been waiting for this moment. We are back on the European final stage, and we are certainly ready to compete, while also respecting our opponents and the European arena."

Emery emphasized, "We were able to win the title because we maintained a very rigorous attitude throughout the journey, and the same was true for the match against Freiburg. Of course, this title also belongs to our fans. In the first 30 minutes of the match, both sides were actually testing each other, and we were both observing how to control the rhythm of the first half hour of the game."

"But then we gradually found our rhythm, and when we scored from a set piece, the team gained tremendous confidence. We showed a strong desire to win, just like the fans did. Every team I've coached in the past has shown an admirable spirit in their pursuit of championships, and it was the same here."

Furthermore, Emery stated, "Aston Villa has won the European Cup before; it's a club with a glorious history and numerous accolades. It's been a long time since the team has achieved that again, but I believe it's because the club, the fans, and everyone involved have consistently shared the same belief. We need to compete for titles again, especially in European competitions, and this is a very good opportunity."

"The Premier League is equally amazing. For the past four years, we have consistently been in the top 7 to top 5, and now we are ranked 4th again and competing with the best teams in the world. It's all just wonderful, and I am incredibly proud."

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