Our Creators Took On the Europa League Final in Istanbul

Istanbul. Beşiktaş Park. Aston Villa vs. Freiburg. One of the biggest nights in European football, and we made sure our creators were right in the middle of it.

For anyone who needs a quick refresher: the UEFA Europa League is Europe's second-tier club competition, sitting just below the Champions League, and the final is the showpiece moment of the whole tournament. This year it brought Aston Villa and Freiburg to Istanbul on 20 May, with Villa eventually lifting the trophy after a 3-0 win. Safe to say there was a lot to talk about and a lot of ground to cover. Here's what our creators got up to.

Amy on talkSPORT

Before a ball was even kicked, Amy was already in the conversation. She featured on talkSPORT in the lead-up to the game, sharing her opinion on how the final would play out, the key players to watch, and what each side needed to do to walk away with the trophy. It was a proper pundit moment, her thoughts, her takes, her name on a national sports station ahead of one of the biggest matches of the season.

She shared the reel on her Instagram, and we made sure to amplify it on our channels too. If you missed it, head over to her page to catch the full thing.

Nieve and Victor in Istanbul with FlixBus

Nieve and Victor flew out to Istanbul with FlixBus for the full matchday experience, and they packed a lot into the trip.

Things kicked off with a reception dinner to set the scene, before the real fun began on matchday itself. They started the day with a walking tour around Istanbul, getting to know the city, picking up local tips, and soaking in the atmosphere of a place that lives and breathes football. From there, it was over to the official fan fest, where supporters from both sides were gathering ahead of kick-off.

Then came one of the more surreal moments of the trip. Victor was granted access to film both teams arriving at the stadium, the kind of behind-the-scenes view most fans only see clips of on broadcast. While the access didn't allow him to film the players themselves, being that close to the action on a night like this was something special.

After that, it was time for the main event. Nieve and Victor took their seats and watched the final unfold the chants, the flags, the drama of a European final on a stage like Beşiktaş Park.

A night to remember

What started as commenting on national radio continued on a walking tour, a fan fest ,and stadium access; our creators covered the Europa League final from every angle. It was the kind of trip that reminds you why these big football nights matter not just for the 90 minutes on the pitch, but for everything around them.

Big thanks to talkSPORT and FlixBus for making it all possible. Now onto the next one.