Unai Emery delivered on his promise.

Three and a half years ago, he took over at Aston Villa and vowed to win trophies. On Wednesday in Istanbul, he fulfilled that pledge by leading Villa to a 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the Europa League final.

Skipper John McGinn lifted the Europa League trophy, etching Villa's name into the history books once again. This triumph came in front of nine of the 1982 European Cup heroes, including captain Dennis Mortimer and goalscorer Peter Withe.

Villa's New Era

The match was highlighted by spectacular strikes from Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendia, with Morgan Rogers sealing the win. Villa played in white and beat a German team in red, reminiscent of their 1982 European Cup triumph over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam.

Emery's fifth Europa League title further solidified his legacy as a serial winner. His previous four titles were already a competition record, and now he stands at six finals with five wins.

"I am thankful to [co-owners] Nassef [Sawiris] and Wes [Edens]... they are supporting always. I am thankful to the supporters and I am thankful for the players," Emery said.

A Season of Transformation

If Tielemans' volley gave them the platform, then Buendia's curler into the top corner put one hand on the trophy. The fans who packed Besiktas Park had already started celebrating by halftime.

Villa's official ticket allocation was 10,758, but 20,000 traveled to Turkey, clearly outnumbering Freiburg's following and crammed into the bars and cafes off Istanbul's famous Taksim Square.

"I feel amazing," Tielemans told TNT. "My voice is a bit gone but it's all good. We put in a shift, a top performance, we had a great season. To top it off with this is amazing."

The victory not only marks the end of a 30-year wait for a major trophy but also sets the stage for an exciting future with Champions League football on the horizon.