Europa League glory and history beckon for Unai Emery and Aston Villa
By Luke Oluoch, May 20, 2026The final of the UEFA Europa League goes down at the Besiktas Arena, Istanbul, on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, as Aston Villa and Freiburg SC clash for the honours of Europe’s second-tier competition.
Villa coach Unai Emery fancies another shot at European glory, having achieved remarkable success in the history of the competition.
Three-peat under Emery
The Spaniard has already lifted the trophy on four different occasions, clinching a three-peat with Sevilla in 2014, 2015, and 2016—Sevilla—before replicating the same with Villarreal in 2021.
Before Villa beat Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals, Vítor Pereira spoke on behalf of the masses when he called Emery the king of the Europa League.
Emery’s side heads into the game having already achieved their main objective of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
The Villans thumped Liverpool 4-2 in their previous league clash to seal a place in Europe, and the bar remains high as they could finish as high as fourth when the league final goes down on May 30, 2026.
The EPL side eye emulates Tottenham Hotspur, who clinched the title in 2025 after beating Manchester United for their first European title.
Speaking ahead of the clash, John McGinn reflected on Villa’s journey from the Champions League to the Europa League with nostalgia, stressing that the focus remains on finishing the task.
“This season we have managed to deal with each game and each round with the same respect that we will treat Freiburg with. They deserve to be in the final. The final message to our players is to play at the same level that we have done as a group for the years that have put us in this position.
Freiburg’s challenge
For Freiburg, the German side hopes to start a significant new chapter in their club’s history with a victory that will assure their first success in Europe.
Julian Shuster’s team finished seventh in the Bundesliga but showed remarkable success in Europe with a commanding display to qualify for the European second-tier competition finals.
“It is already really special. We do have to mention that we want to take that final step and not just be content to reach a final. We are actually really motivated to win it,” Shuster said.
Boasting youngsters such as top scorer Vincenzo Grifo, Noah Atubolu between the posts, and talented 20-year-old midfielder Johan Manzambi, the Germans will be out to cement their merit too, having come all the way.
The clash will kick off at 10:00 pm.