Buendía caps Europa League campaign with final heroics | OneFootball

Emiliano Buendía delivered a decisive performance in the Europa League final, scoring once and providing an assist as Aston Villa swept aside Freiburg 3-0 to lift the trophy in style.

The Argentine playmaker was at the heart of everything Villa did in Istanbul, first finding the net with a composed finish before setting up Morgan Rogers for their third goal, effectively killing off the contest early in the second half.

It was another standout night in what has been a hugely productive European campaign. Buendía finished the 2025/26 Europa League as the competition’s top contributor, registering 10 goal involvements in total - four goals and six assists - more than any other player.

Across the tournament, he proved to be Villa’s creative driving force, consistently stepping up in key moments as Unai Emery’s side powered their way to the title.

That impact has now placed him alongside some of Argentina’s greats in European football history, with the likes of Jorge Valdano, Diego Maradona, Javier Zanetti, Hernán Crespo and Paulo Dybala all having previously scored in major continental finals.

Argentines to score in a Europa League/UEFA Cup final: