Schuster urges Freiburg to focus on positives after Europa League loss

Soccer Football - UEFA Europa League - Final - SC Freiburg v Aston Villa - Besiktas Park, Istanbul, Turkey - May 20, 2026 SC Freiburg coach Julian Schuster looks on REUTERS/Isabel Infantes Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab ISTANBUL, May 20 (Reuters) - Freiburg coach Julian Schuster urged his players to take pride in their run to a ​first European showpiece even though they were ‌left disappointed after being beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa in Wednesday’s Europa League final. Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia struck ​late in the first half as Villa took ​control at Besiktas Stadium, with Morgan Rogers adding ⁠a third after the break to seal a ​comfortable victory. “Right now, there is no happiness. We ​lost a final. That hurts,” Schuster told reporters. “I said before the game we believed we could win. For 40 minutes we ​did well, and then it changed.” Schuster said a ​well-worked Villa set-piece and a defensive error proved decisive before ‌halftime. “For ⁠the first goal, Villa executed the set-piece well; for the second it was our mistake,” he added. “At 2-0 down at the break, you see the real ​character of a ​team, and ⁠the boys did well.” Despite the defeat, Schuster said Freiburg — who had never previously ​gone beyond the last 16 in ​Europe — would, ⁠in time, reflect positively on their campaign. “It didn’t go our way in the end. In a few ⁠days ​we will appreciate what we achieved ​with our fans, but it is painful right now,” he said. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab