Sahel Overview

Emiliano Martinez has revealed that his presence in Aston Villa's historic Europa League final victory was nearly derailed by a painful injury just minutes before kick-off. The Argentine shot-stopper managed to battle through the pain barrier in Istanbul to help the Villans end their 30-year wait for a major trophy.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery secured his fifth Europa League title after guiding Villa to victory in Istanbul. The Spaniard now joins an elite managerial group alongside Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti for major European final wins.

Aston Villa have ended their 30-year wait for a major trophy after a dominant 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the Europa League final. Following a night of celebration at the Besiktas Stadium, star striker Ollie Watkins has opened up on the tactical bravery that allowed the Villans to break down their German opponents.

Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers all scored great goals as Aston Villa claimed their first major honour in three decades by defeating Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday night. Unai Emery's men had gone into the game in Istanbul as heavy favourites - not least because their Spanish coach had already lifted the trophy four times - and, towards the tail end of a tense first half, they underlined their vastly superior quality with two sensational strikes.