Morgan Rogers has declared that Aston Villa will be etched into history after they secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the Europa League final, ending a 30-year wait for silverware. The triumph in Istanbul marked the club's first trophy since the 1996 League Cup and came 44 years after their European Cup win over Bayern Munich.
Match Overview
Youri Tielemans opened the scoring with a stunning volley, before Emiliano Buendia doubled the lead with a magnificent curling effort in first-half stoppage time. Rogers added a third goal before the hour mark, sealing an emphatic win for Unai Emery's side.
Player Reactions
Speaking to TNT Sports, Rogers said: "It is hard to put into words. We have worked so hard for this. We knew we had one more game and we all delivered and we came through. It is a great moment for the fans, a great moment for the club, and it will go down in history." He added: "It was a great opportunity for us to go and win a trophy, and we were all really excited. We knew our tasks at hand to get the job done and we have done that."
Ollie Watkins echoed the sentiment: "It feels amazing. To perform like that was unbelievable. We really controlled the game and we punished them in the end. It is an unbelievable experience, it's what you dream of." He praised manager Emery's calmness: "Unai was really calm today. Sometimes in the league games he can be a little bit anxious because he wants us to win, but today he was really calm and that set the tone."
Ezri Konsa paid tribute to the fans: "I don't think it has sunk in yet. I said not long ago how much of a journey it has been at this club, seven years for me. We have been through a lot, ups and downs, but to finally bring back some silverware is amazing and something I cannot describe. Look what it means to the fans and to the players and some of us who have been here for so long. And to the fans, who have been through thick and thin, this is for them."
Emery's Legacy
The victory marked a fifth Europa League triumph for manager Unai Emery, who is also guiding Villa to a likely fourth-placed finish in the Premier League, securing Champions League qualification.
