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Villa win in Istanbul
Aston Villa won the Europa League final 3-0 over SC Freiburg in Istanbul on Wednesday, May 20, with the breakthrough coming from a volley by Youri Tielemans in the 41st minute.
“Aston Villa wins Europa League with superb goals in 3-0 victory over Freiberg”
The match at Beşiktaş Park saw Emiliano Buendia double Villa’s lead with a goal that made it 2-0 at halftime, and Morgan Rogers added the third in the 58th minute.
Unai Emery’s fifth Europa League title came after Villa secured a route into the Champions League through a top-five finish, and the New York Times described the victory as a first European triumph for 44 years.
The Sun framed the moment in celebratory terms, saying Prince William was seen “punching the air when Villa scored their first goal” as Villa stunned Freiburg in the 3-0 win.
Royal and expert reactions
Prince William, 43, traveled to Istanbul to watch the final against German side SC Freiburg, and People quoted him posting: “Come on Villa! Good luck in tonight’s Europa League final. UTV!”
After the final, The Sun reported Villa captain John McGinn joked: “Hopefully Prince William is paying for the free bar. He is a classy guy, he was in the dressing room before.”
CBS Sports’ preview had set the kickoff for 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 20 at Besiktas Park in Istanbul, Turkey, and it described Unai Emery as the Europa League’s most successful manager after four previous triumphs.
In the same CBS Sports coverage, SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green backed Aston Villa to win and to cover Over 1.5 goals, writing “Aston Villa to win and Over 1.5 goals +110 (1 unit)” as one of his best bets.
What comes next
The New York Times said the win “toasting a first European triumph for 44 years” also meant Villa would head into the Champions League next season as reigning champions of UEFA’s secondary tournament.
“head into Europe’s premier competition next season as the reigning champions”
USA Today added that Villa’s victory was “the biggest triumph for the club in more than 40 years,” and it said Unai Emery now sets his sights on success in the Champions League after the 3-0 final.
CBS Sports’ betting preview also tied the stakes to league qualification, noting Villa had clinched a spot in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League and that if Villa win and drop to fifth place, six Premier League teams would earn spots.
For viewers, Football365 said the final would be broadcast on Canal + Foot and also available on MyCanal “at 21 heures,” while Mashable listed a free livestream option on TRT1 for the Europa League final on May 20.
