Unai Emery has won the Europa League four times—three with Sevilla and once with Villarreal—making him the most decorated manager in the competition's history. On Wednesday, he aims to extend that to five when Aston Villa face Freiburg in the final in Istanbul. The 54-year-old thrives in these matches, having already lost one final as Arsenal boss in 2019 but still earning his place on the list.

BBC Sport ranks the top European trophy-winning managers, placing Emery at number 10 despite his four Europa League crowns. The list spans from Bob Paisley and Zinedine Zidane down through Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, and Sir Alex Ferguson. Cup Winners' Cups and Uefa Cups carry weight too, with Trapattoni and Cruyff earning recognition for pioneering work at Juventus and Barcelona respectively.

Emery's Europa League pedigree sets him apart from managers with only Champions League hardware. Whether he adds a fifth trophy will determine how seriously fans take his standing among Europe's elite. Wednesday's final is essentially a chance to cement his legacy as the competition's greatest winner.