Aston Villa Wins Europa League: Evann Guessand's Unique Double Opportunity

In Istanbul, Aston Villa finally put their hands back on major silverware. Under the lights at Besiktas Park, they swept aside Freiburg 3-0 to win the Europa League and end a trophy drought stretching back to 1996.

Youri Tielemans lit the fuse. His strike in the first half set the tone, a clean, ruthless finish that underlined Villa’s control. Emiliano Buendia then stepped up with a second of real quality, a goal that felt like a hammer blow to Freiburg just before the break.

By half-time, Unai Emery’s side were cruising at 2-0. They were sharper, braver on the ball, and far more decisive in both boxes. Freiburg chased shadows for long spells.

The pressure didn’t ease after the restart. On 57 minutes, Morgan Rogers drove home the third to kill the contest and turn the closing half-hour into a celebration. Villa were in command, managing the game with the assurance of a side that knew history was within reach.

For Emery, it was another chapter in a remarkable European story. The Spaniard has now lifted the Europa League five times, equalling the competition’s all-time managerial record. His reputation as a master of this tournament is no longer just a narrative; it is a record carved into European football history.

Yet away from the spotlight of the touchline and the scorers’ list, another, quieter storyline is unfolding. It belongs to a player who didn’t even set foot on the pitch in Istanbul.

A forgotten forward chasing unprecedented history

Evann Guessand, the Ivory Coast international forward, watched Villa’s triumph from afar. He was not involved at Besiktas Park, but the result carries huge personal significance.

Guessand joined Aston Villa from Reims last summer for an initial £30.5 million, one of only two permanent senior signings the club made in that window. His time in claret and blue this season, though, has been brief and fragmented.

Before January, he featured seven times for Villa in the Europa League group stages, scoring twice. Those appearances were enough to qualify him for a winners’ medal under UEFA rules. On paper, he is now a Europa League champion.

Then came the twist. In January, Villa sent him on loan to Crystal Palace, where his season took a very different turn. At Selhurst Park, Guessand helped Palace push through to the Conference League final, making five appearances in the competition as the London club marched towards a showdown with Rayo Vallecano next Wednesday.

If Palace beat the Spanish side, Guessand will stand on the brink of something no player in European football has ever achieved: winning two different UEFA club competitions in the same season.

Not as a fringe name in a bloated squad, but as a contributor in both campaigns, with enough minutes and impact to qualify for both medals. Europa League with Villa. Conference League with Palace. One season. Two trophies. No precedent.

Injury scare, late return, and a date with destiny

The story almost stopped in March. Guessand suffered a knee injury during Palace’s Conference League quarter-final against Fiorentina, a setback that threatened to derail his campaign just as it was gathering momentum.

He disappeared from the teamsheet, his European push seemingly stalled. Yet he resurfaced at the weekend, returning as a stoppage-time substitute in Palace’s 2-2 draw with Brentford on Sunday. It was only a brief outing, but an important one: proof he is fit enough to be involved when it matters most.

Next comes Rayo Vallecano and a final that could define his season – and rewrite a small corner of European history.

A future in South London

Guessand’s long-term path also appears to be pointing away from Villa Park. The 24-year-old is reportedly set to sign permanently for Crystal Palace this summer. The club are preparing for a new era, with a replacement needed for departing manager Oliver Glasner, and Guessand is viewed as part of that rebuild.

So while Villa revel in a long-awaited European triumph and Emery basks in another record-equalling night, one of their least heralded signings stands on the verge of a unique double that no superstar has managed before.

Europa League winner with Aston Villa. Potential Conference League winner with Crystal Palace. Two clubs, two competitions, one season.

If Palace finish the job next Wednesday, Evann Guessand’s name will sit alone in the record books.