Unai Emery has revealed that desire was the key message he delivered to his Aston Villa players before their emphatic UEFA Europa League final victory. The Premier League side defeated SC Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul on Wednesday night.
Emery’s Pre-Match Challenge
The Spanish manager said he challenged his squad to take control of the occasion and show their hunger on the pitch. His words paid off as Villa produced a dominant performance to secure one of the club’s biggest trophies in recent history.
“We played in a very serious way this year, so focused, and of course, the players showed their desire,” Emery said after the final.
“I told them: ‘We need desire in this competition and show it on the field. You are the protagonists.’ And they did it.”
Goals Seal Comfortable Win
Youri Tielemans opened the scoring early, putting Villa in charge. Emiliano Buendía added a second to give Emery’s men firm control. Morgan Rogers completed the rout late on as Freiburg struggled with Villa’s intensity and movement.
Historic Achievement for Emery
The victory pushed Emery into the history books. At 54, he became the first manager to win the Europa League with three different clubs. He previously lifted the trophy three times with Sevilla FC and once with Villarreal CF.
Emery now stands level with Carlo Ancelotti, José Mourinho and Giovanni Trapattoni for the most major European final victories by a manager.
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