Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia scored stunning goals as Aston Villa ​outclassed Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday to end a 30-year wait for silverware and ‌earn their coach Unai Emery a record-extending fifth win in the competition.

Morgan Rogers added a third as Villa secured a first major trophy since they lifted the English League Cup in 1996, and their first victory in continental competition since they were European Cup champions in 1982 after ​defeating Bayern Munich in the final .

Back-to-back wins in the Europa League for Premier League clubs after Tottenham ​Hotspur were victors last season kept alive a rare continental hat-trick with Arsenal in the final of ⁠the Champions League and Crystal Palace to play in the Conference League decider.

“I feel amazing,” Tielemans told TNT. “We put in ​a shift, top performance, we had a great season, and to top it off with this, it’s amazing.

“We only had one ​day to practise, we did it on Monday, and it worked brilliantly tonight.

“It’s been a season with a lot of ups and downs. We started so so bad, our standards were very very poor but the way we turned things around was great, credit to the players, credit to ​the staff, we just kept working, kept believing, and we got the win in the end, Champions League next season and ​a trophy.”

TIELEMANS STRIKE

Villa took the lead on 41 minutes with a superb strike from Tielemans after Rogers’ floated cross from a short ‌corner was ⁠latched onto by the unmarked Belgian and his low volley arrowed into the net.

It was 2-0 seconds before halftime through another stunning goal, this time from Buendia. Freiburg allowed Villa too much space on the edge of their box and the Argentine playmaker curled a left-foot shot into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Noah Atubolu with no chance.

Rogers added the third on ​58 minutes when Buendia turned ​provider as his low cross ⁠into the six-yard box from the left was stabbed home at the near post.

Villa manager Emery kept up his remarkable record in the competition with a fifth victory, three with Sevilla, ​one with Villarreal and now with the English Villa.

Emery moved level with record-holders Carlo ​Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho ⁠and Giovanni Trapattoni on five European trophies.

Freiburg were hoping to win their first major silverware in their 122-year-old history but rarely threatened the Villa goal.

“The team believed until the end, but we faced an Aston Villa (side) with a lot of class. We are very ⁠proud of ​what we have achieved,” Freiburg winger Vincenzo Grifo said.

“We wanted to win ​this cup. Unfortunately we didn’t make it and this must be accepted. If you give space to players like Tielemans and Buendia … they made perfect shots. ​The first goal gave Aston Villa strength.”

-Reuters

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New York ‌City hotel operators and unions have reached an eight-year labour deal covering about 25,000 workers, averting a strike over wages, workloads and staffing levels that had threatened to disrupt the city ahead of ​the FIFA World Cup, the head of the Hotel Association of New York ​City said on Tuesday.

Vijay Dandapani, the association’s president and chief executive, ⁠said the mood among owners was “overall positive” after weeks of negotiations, though the industry ​made significant concessions.

“We came a long way from where things were,” Dandapani said.

While FIFA, ​soccer’s global governing body, was not involved in the talks, the prospect of an influx of fans raised the stakes. A union campaign had warned of a possible strike and urged visitors to ​avoid affected hotels.

The potential walkout was a “very real threat,” Dandapani said, noting recent labour ​actions in U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Boston.

The contract’s full wage and benefit details were not ‌immediately ⁠available. Dandapani said a figure of about $200,000 reflected compensation at the end of the agreement, not at the outset.

Hotel owners entered the talks aiming to preserve profitability, arguing that New York’s lodging market has not fully recovered from the pandemic. Occupancy remains below 2019 ​levels, and inflation-adjusted room ​rates have yet ⁠to catch up, he said.

He also cited broader pressures, including the war in Iran, tariffs and visa issues.

The deal follows the withdrawal ​of a proposed city measure that operators said would have ​sharply raised ⁠labour costs by limiting room attendants’ workloads and requiring double pay beyond certain thresholds. Owners estimated it could have lifted wage costs by about 40%.

The new pact will still add ⁠costs, though ​operators expect tourism demand and major events to ​support revenue.

“We believe strongly in the New York City market,” Dandapani said, adding that the city needs to ​become more affordable for businesses.

-Reuters

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Arsenal F.C.’s latest Premier League triumph has not only ended a 22-year wait for the English title but also strengthened the North London club’s standing among the most successful teams in English football history.

By securing their 14th top-flight championship, Arsenal have consolidated third place on England’s all-time league honours list behind only Liverpool F.C. and Manchester United F.C., who remain tied as the country’s most successful league clubs with 20 titles each.

Arsenal’s latest success moves them comfortably ahead of Manchester City F.C., who have won 10 league crowns despite dominating much of the modern era under Pep Guardiola.

Historically, the English title hierarchy now stands with Liverpool and Manchester United leading on 20 championships, followed by Arsenal on 14 and Manchester City on 10.

Traditional powers such as Everton F.C. remain fourth with nine titles, while Aston Villa have seven. Chelsea and Sunderland each have six league crowns, underlining Sunderland’s status as one of English football’s early powerhouses despite their modern decline.

Further down the honours list, Newcastle United and Sheffield Wednesday have four titles apiece, while Blackburn Rovers, Huddersfield Town, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers each boast three championships.

In the Premier League era, however, the balance of power looks markedly different.

Manchester United remain the dominant force of the modern era with 13 Premier League titles, largely accumulated during Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary reign at Old Trafford.

Manchester City’s rise over the past decade has lifted them to second place in the Premier League rankings with eight titles, while Chelsea have collected five since the competition’s formation in 1992.

Arsenal’s latest success represents only their fourth Premier League-era crown despite their rich historical pedigree, placing them behind both Manchester City and Chelsea in the modern standings.

Liverpool, despite their enormous historical success, have won the Premier League only twice since the competition was rebranded in 1992, while Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City each famously claimed one shock title triumph.

Arsenal’s new championship therefore carries significance on two different historical levels.

First, it restores the club’s reputation as one of English football’s enduring giants after years of frustration and near misses. Secondly, it narrows the gap between Arsenal and the dominant clubs of the Premier League era, particularly Manchester City.

The title also reconnects Arsenal with the golden era of Arsène Wenger, whose legendary “Invincibles” side won the club’s last league title in 2004 without losing a single match.

Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have now taken a major step toward rebuilding the stature that once made them one of the defining powers of English football.

The updated honours table also reflects the shifting landscape of the English game, where historic success and modern dominance increasingly tell different stories.

Arsenal’s 14th title cements their third place in English football’s roll of honour:

20 Liverpool, Manchester United
14 Arsenal
10 Manchester City
9 Everton
7 Aston Villa
6 Chelsea, Sunderland
4 Newcastle, Sheffield Wednesday
3 Blackburn, Huddersfield, Leeds, Wolves
2 Burnley, Derby, Portsmouth, Preston, Tottenham
1 Ipswich, Leicester, Nottm Forest, Sheffield United, West Brom

And in the Premier League era, this is how things stand:

13 Manchester United
8 Manchester City
5 Chelsea
4 Arsenal
2 Liverpool
1 Blackburn, Leicester

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