Unai Emery, the "king of the Europa League," has won his fifth title with Aston Villa, continuing his dominance in European club football. Emery, the Spanish tactician, has once again proven why he carries this nickname, leading his Aston Villa to the title in the Istanbul final against Freiburg. With a 3-0 victory, Emery has lifted his fifth trophy in this competition, a feat unmatched by any other coach in history.

His path to the top has been impressive. Since the Europa League's reform in 2009, out of 17 editions, Emery has led his team to six finals. This means that over one-third of the finals have featured a team under his command. With this win, he has secured a quarter of all trophies awarded in this period. For Aston Villa, this brings their first major European trophy since the UEFA Cup in 1982, inscribing a new chapter in the Birmingham club's history and adding to Emery's already illustrious career.

Three-Times Crowned with Sevilla and Rakitić's Role

Emery's European dominance began in Andalusia. Taking over Sevilla in January 2013, he built a team that struck fear into the continent. In the 2013/14 season, he led the club to the first of three consecutive titles. In the final in Turin, after 120 minutes of scoreless play, Sevilla outperformed Benfica in a penalty shootout. Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitić, who was the captain, played a key role in this success and was named the match player. This marked the beginning of an incredible streak.

A year later, in Warsaw, the Ukrainian Dnipro was defeated 3-2. Despite the underdog leading, Emery's team, led by Carlos Bacca and Gregor Kričevski's goals, displayed character and turned the result around. The crown of Sevilla's era came in Basel in 2016, where they beat Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool. Again, Emery's team had to overcome a deficit. Daniel Sturridge put England in the lead, but Sevilla stormed back in the second half to win 3-1, with Coke scoring the heroics with two goals. With three consecutive titles, Emery set standards that will be hard for others to match.

Downfall in London and Resurrection with "Yellow Submarine"

After leaving Sevilla, Emery's path led him to Paris Saint-Germain and then Arsenal. With "the Gunners," he again reached the 2019 Europa League final in Baku but experienced a tough defeat. Chelsea celebrated with a convincing 4-1, handing Emery his only final defeat in this competition. This was a moment showing that even he was not infallible, but it was only a temporary setback.

The chance for redemption came with Villarreal. In the 2020/21 season, he created another European sensation. After eliminating his former club Arsenal in the semi-final, he faced a powerful Manchester United in Gdansk. The match ended 1-1 after 120 minutes, and the winner was decided in a marathon penalty shootout.

All ten Villarreal players were precise, and the tragic figure was Manchester United's goalkeeper David de Gea, whose shot was saved by his teammate Gerónimo Rulli for a final score of 11-10. This was the first major trophy in Villarreal's history and Emery's fourth European crown.

New Challenge, Same Dominance

Upon joining Aston Villa, Emery took over a team with great potential and immediately transformed it into a serious contender, securing a UEFA Champions League place through the Premier League. However, his specialty once again came to the fore. With the Birmingham team, he stormed into the Istanbul final with 12 wins in 14 matches, successively eliminating Lille, Bologna, and Nottingham Forest. Freiburg, making its first European final, had no chance. Although Emery tried to alleviate the pressure before the final, his work speaks for itself.