🔥 Final settled! Aston Villa hammer Forest and Freiburg dump Braga

The 2025/2026 UEFA Europa League final is set.

After winning their first-leg matches, Nottingham Forest and Braga were both beaten this Thursday (7).

Aston Villa and Freiburg, respectively, secured their places in the final on the 20th at Besiktas Stadium.

It will be a showdown between a club that has already been crowned European champion and one chasing the biggest trophy in its history. 

Check out a summary of the matchups below. 

Unai Emery goes in search of his 5th UEL title

Forest had the edge in the first match (1-0), but could not hold up at Villa Park, losing 4-0.

That booked yet another Europa League final for Unai Emery, the tournament’s true “owner.”

The Spanish coach has lost only one semifinal in the competition.

And he is heading to his sixth final, now in charge of Aston Villa.

He won three titles with Sevilla (2013/14, 14/15 and 15/16), one with Villarreal (2020/21), and only lost with Arsenal (2018/19). 

Clearly the better side from the start, Villa went ahead in the 36th minute through Wattkins, who had suffered a blow to the head just minutes earlier. 

The second came after Milenkovic pulled Pau Torres in the box, conceding a penalty.

And Buendía made no mistake (57′).

Without Gibbs-White available, Forest only posed real danger for the first time in the 71st minute, when Dibu Martínez denied Chris Wood. 

With more and more space to attack, Villa got their third through one of the club’s icons, John McGinn, in the 77th minute.

And the No. 7 added another soon after (80′).

European Cup winners — now the Champions League — in 1981/1982, Villa are chasing new European glory. 

And an end to a long trophy drought, having not won a title since lifting the English League Cup in 1995/1996.

It is the high point of Emery’s work at the club after disappointment in the Conference League and after pushing eventual champions PSG hard in the last Champions League campaign.

Freiburg chasing the biggest glory in its history

After losing 2-1 in Portugal, Freiburg won 3-1 at Europa-Park Stadion.

And they will now have the chance to win the biggest title in their history. Their most significant trophies so far are their 2. Bundesliga titles.

Mario Dorgeles, who scored the winner at the Quarry in the 92nd minute, turned villain for Braga on German soil just six minutes in.

Down to 10 men, Braga could not hold on.

Lukas Kübler scored the first, almost by accident.

And Manzambi doubled the lead before halftime.

Kübler got the third after a pass from top scorer Grifo (72′).

Brave Braga only managed one goal, through Pau Victor (79′).

They will not get the chance to chase the trophy that slipped away in 2010/11, when they were beaten by regional rivals Porto. 

Freiburg’s achievement was followed by a pitch invasion by hundreds of fans.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.