Clinical Aston Villa ease past Freiburg to end 30-year wait for major trophy in style

Donning an all-white kit – as a tribute to the heroes of the 1982 European Cup triumph – Villa required just two minutes to register the final’s first shot on target, with Morgan Rogers’ driven effort forcing Noah Atubolu into a strong save earlier than he would have wanted in Freiburg’s first-ever appearance in a European final.

Nicolas Hofler was soon presented with Freiburg’s first meaningful chance, only to drag his left-foot strike harmlessly wide of Emiliano Martínez’s goal.

As the half neared its conclusion, Villa flexed their muscles with devastating effect, netting two goals in seven minutes, beginning with a well-worked corner routine straight off the training ground.

Rogers collected a short corner as the Villa contingent in the box blocked their markers to create the space for Youri Tielemans to meet a floated delivery with a technically-perfect low volley past Atubolu.

The Belgian’s sumptuous strike soon paled in comparison to the unstoppable effort Emiliano Buendía conjured up in first-half stoppage time, quickly turning on the edge of the box before curling the ball with pace into the far corner, sparking scenes of sheer jubilation at the opposite end of the stadium.

If the German side’s European dreams were not crushed before the break, they most certainly were when Rogers took Villa’s tally to three just before the hour mark, darting across his defender to poke the ball in from Buendía’s low cross.

Rogers’ third Europa League goal sparked Julian Schuster into a double change, but it was far too late as the Villans threatened to add a fourth through Buendía and then John McGinn.

Freiburg at least managed to keep the damage down to three, but that mattered little to the Villa faithful, who celebrated adding major silverware to their top-five Premier League finish, representing Unai Emery’s fifth triumph in the UEL.