Aston Villa booked direct passage to the Europa League round of 16 with a 1-0 win over Fenerbahce in rainy Istanbul, as Jadon Sancho’s first-half header settled a tight contest and gave Unai Emery victory
in his 100th Europa League match as a manager.
Sancho struck in the 25th minute, guiding a close-range header past former Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson after Matty Cash’s cross from the right deflected off Jayden Oosterwolde, and Aston Villa then managed disallowed goals at both ends plus several key defensive moments to protect the lead.
Aston Villa arrived knowing three points would secure a top-eight finish in the Europa League league stage and avoid the play-off round, and Emery’s team delivered, making it six victories from seven games in this campaign while the head coach marked 100 Europa League fixtures, having lifted the trophy four times.
Sancho, on loan from Manchester United and still competing for regular starts, produced a decisive contribution and joined an exclusive group, becoming only the second English player to score in major European competitions for four different clubs, matching Peter Crouch’s feat with Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa.
The winger also extended a personal scoring streak, as Sancho is one of three English players to score in major European competitions in each season since 2018-19, alongside Harry Kane and Phil Foden, while Aston Villa edged a balanced match on underlying numbers despite trailing slightly on total shots.
| Team | Shots | Expected Goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa | 12 | 1.45 |
| Fenerbahce | 13 | 0.89 |
Milan Skriniar produced one of the defensive moments of the night before half-time, blocking Sancho from close range to prevent a second goal, then on the hour Marco Bizot denied Anderson Talisca, Cash hit the post from distance, Ollie Watkins was offside before an Ismail Yuksek own goal, and a late Kerem Akturkoglu strike also failed to stand after Jhon Duran was judged offside by VAR.
JOB DONE IN ISTANBUL #UEL pic.twitter.com/BHRrRVfrTJAston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 22, 2026
The result leaves Aston Villa safely in the Europa League round of 16 with games to spare, adds another milestone to Emery’s strong record in the competition, and highlights Sancho’s consistent impact in European tournaments as Aston Villa continue their campaign with momentum from a controlled away performance.
