The Japan Times - Stylish Aston Villa win Europa League to end 30-year trophy drought

Unai Emery's side took the lead late in the first half in Istanbul through Tielemans' thunderous volley.

Buendia increased Villa's advantage with a sublime curler seconds before the interval.

Morgan Rodgers' second-half goal finished off the outclassed Germans, sealing Villa's first silverware since the 1996 League Cup and their first major European prize for 44 years.

That famous European Cup final upset of Bayern Munich in 1982, secured by Peter Withe's goal in Rotterdam, has stood as the most iconic moment in Villa's 152-year history.

But Villa's current stars were determined to follow in the footsteps of the club's golden generation.

Now Tielemans, Buendia, John McGinn and company can share the rarified air previously reserved for Withe, Tony Morley, Dennis Mortimer, Nigel Spink and the rest of the Class of '82.

Fittingly, with Withe and Mortimer watching from the stands, Villa crushed Freiburg while wearing white shirts instead of their traditional claret and blue kit -- just as they did against Bayern.

Villa's long-awaited continental conquest was the latest Europa League masterclass for Emery, who has now won the tournament five times after victories with Sevilla in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and Villarreal in 2021.

Emery said this week that he didn't feel like the "king" of the Europa League, but his team's coronation got the royal seal of approval from Villa fan Prince William, who was celebrating along with around 20,000 ecstatic supporters in the Besiktas Stadium.

Hollywood actor Tom Hanks, another famous Villa fan, joined the party, sending a good luck message to the team before kick-off.

It has been a memorable finish to the campaign for Villa, who sealed qualification for next season's Champions League with a win against Liverpool last week.

Villa's success over the last six days would have been impossible to imagine when they started the season with a run of six matches without a win, scoring just twice in that dismal streak.

- Unforgettable night -

Their maiden win this season came in the Europa League against Bologna, the first of 13 victories in 15 games in the competition that culminated in their ruthless demolition of first-time European finalists Freiburg.

Despite losing in the UEFA Conference League semi-finals in 2024, and the Champions League quarter-finals and FA Cup semi-finals last year, Emery was convinced Villa would eventually cast off their 'nearly men' tag.

The 54-year-old Spaniard's unshakable faith has been rewarded.

The Europa League triumph underlined Villa's impressive renaissance since Emery took charge in October 2022 with the club languishing just three points above the relegation zone.

Relegated to the second tier in 1987 and 2016 and beaten in their previous four domestic finals prior to arriving in Istanbul, Villa have endured some torrid times since winning the European Cup.

Those miserable memories were banished forever on an unforgettable night on the banks of the Bosphorus.

Villa dominated from the start and should have been ahead in the opening moments when Noah Atubolu denied Rogers.

Tielemans shattered Freiburg's resistance with his moment of magic in the 41st minute.

Rogers was catalyst in a clever short corner routine, lofting a pin-point cross towards Tielemans, who timed his run perfectly to slam a brilliant volley past Atubolu from just inside the area.

It was only Tielemans' second goal this season and his first since December.

Even the Belgian midfielder's rocket had to take a back seat to Buendia's gem.

Setting his sights on the edge of the area after Freiburg failed to close him down, Buendia curled a majestic finish into the far corner.

Rogers put the result beyond doubt in the 58th minute, sliding to convert Buendia's cross as a Villa party three decades in the making went into full swing.

T.Ueda--JT