Freiburg 0-3 Aston Villa: Tielemans 41, Buendia 45+2, Rogers 58
Well, if anyone could deliver the Europa League trophy to Aston Villa it had to be that man, Unai Emery. A master strategist in the European game. This is his competition. A 3-0 victory over German side Freiburg in Istanbul allowed the Spaniard and Villa to end the club’s long wait for silverware.
Villa had not won anything since the 1996 League Cup, and their wait for a European trophy stretched back even further to 1982, when they lifted the European Cup. But here in Turkey they arrived as favourites thanks to their impressive form and the Europa League King at the helm.
Freiburg started rather well on the night, although chances were wanting and Morgan Rogers threatened for Villa instead, forcing Noah Atubolu into a flying save. The Premier League side gradually took control and struck first four minutes before the interval.
A short-corner routine worked space for Rogers on the left and his clipped delivery found Youri Tielemans arriving at the edge of the area. The Belgian met it perfectly, sending a crisp volley beyond Atubolu to give Villa the breakthrough.
If Freiburg still had hopes of a response, Emiliano Buendia effectively crushed them before half-time. Deep into stoppage time, John McGinn’s pass found the Argentine on the edge of the area and Buendia controlled before curling a superb left-foot effort into the top corner.
The goal sent Villa into the break with complete control and left Freiburg with a mountain to climb. After the restart there was simply no sign that they were up to it and Villa’s third arrived just before the hour when Buendia again turned creator, driving down the left before delivering a teasing cross towards the near post. Rogers timed his movement perfectly to squeeze home and put the result beyond doubt.
There could have been more. Amadou Onana and Buendia again went close but by then the scent of the trophy and the imminent celebrations was too strong for anybody to care.
