Unai Emery’s remarkable Europa League record: how many times has he won it?

Unai Emery has the chance to continue his love affair with the Europa League on Wednesday, when his Aston Villa team takes on Bundesliga club Freiburg in the 2025-26 final in Istanbul, Turkey.

Villa are heavy favorites to win the competition for the first time, mainly because of finances. The Premier League’s financial power means the Birmingham-based club’s budget dwarfs that of its German opponents, which should, in theory, help Villa get its hands on the trophy. Soccer doesn’t always work that way, though.

Emery’s Europa League obsession

Another omen working in Villa’s favor is Emery’s quite incredible record in Europe’s secondary club tournament.

The Spaniard is already the most successful manager in Europa League history, having lifted the trophy on four separate occasions.

Emery is partly responsible for Sevilla’s dominance of the competition. The LaLiga club has won the tournament seven times since 2006. No other club has managed more than three victories since the competition was first played as the UEFA Cup in 1971-72.

Emery was at the helm for three of those seven triumphs, defeating Benfica in 2014, Dnipro in 2015 and Liverpool in 2016 in successive finals. The 54-year-old then proved it was no fluke five years later as Villarreal manager, beating Manchester United in a penalty shootout in the 2021 final.

Additionally, as Arsenal boss, he reached the 2019 final, where the Gunners were beaten by Chelsea.

Emery chases another European record

On Wednesday, Emery heads into his sixth Europa League final looking for a record-extending fifth victory as a manager. Veteran Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni is next on the honors list with three wins in the competition.

In the Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti is the most successful manager, also with five triumphs, two ahead of Pep Guardiola, Zinedine Zidane and Liverpool legend Bob Paisley.

Aston Villa’s European achievements

Aston Villa have tasted European success before, but not since 1982, when they won the European Cup, now the Champions League, and the European Super Cup, now the UEFA Super Cup.

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