Clinical Villa outclass Freiburg to clinch Europa League title

Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia scored ​stunning goals as Aston Villa outclassed Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday to ‌end a 30-year wait for silverware and earn their coach Unai Emery a record-extending fifth win in the competition.

Morgan Rogers added a third as Villa secured a first major trophy since they lifted the English League Cup in 1996, and their first victory ​in continental competition since they were European Cup champions in 1982 after defeating Bayern Munich in the ​final.

Back-to-back wins in the Europa League for Premier League clubs after Tottenham Hotspur were victors ⁠last season kept alive a rare continental hat-trick with Arsenal in the final of the Champions League and ​Crystal Palace to play in the Conference League decider.

"I feel amazing," Tielemans told TNT. "We put in a shift, top ​performance, we had a great season, and to top it off with this, it's amazing.

"We only had one day to practise, we did it on Monday, and it worked brilliantly tonight.

"It's been a season with a lot of ups and downs. We started so ​so bad, our standards were very very poor but the way we turned things around was great, credit to ​the players, credit to the staff, we just kept working, kept believing, and we got the win in the end, Champions ‌League next ⁠season and a trophy."

TIELEMANS STRIKE

Villa took the lead on 41 minutes with a superb strike from Tielemans after Rogers’ floated cross from a short corner was latched onto by the unmarked Belgian and his low volley arrowed into the net.

It was 2-0 seconds before halftime through another stunning goal, this time from Buendia.

Freiburg allowed ​Villa too much space on ​the edge of their ⁠box and the Argentine playmaker curled a left-foot shot into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Noah Atubolu with no chance.

Rogers added the third on 58 minutes when Buendia ​turned provider as his low cross into the six-yard box from the left was ​stabbed home at ⁠the near post.

Villa manager Emery kept up his remarkable record in the competition with a fifth victory, three with Sevilla, one with Villarreal and now with the English Villa.

Emery moved level with record-holders Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho and Giovanni ⁠Trapattoni ​on five European trophies.

Freiburg were hoping to win their first major ​silverware in their 122-year-old history but rarely threatened the Villa goal and were second best on the night as they managed only four ​shots to their opponents’ 17.