Freiburg had hoped to lift their first major trophy, but Villa's quality and composure proved too much throughout the final. Schuster did not hide his disappointment after the defeat and said the result was difficult to accept.
"For the moment, I don't feel any satisfaction," Schuster said after the match. "Only the first 40 minutes were up to the standards. It hurts a lot."
Villa took control through a clever short-corner routine that ended with a goal from Youri Tielemans. Schuster admitted his players struggled to deal with Villa's movement and decision-making in key moments.
"It's always about what space you provide," he explained. "They played it perfectly and optimally."
The second goal arrived just before half-time when Emiliano Buendia punished Freiburg after a defensive mistake from a loose second ball. Schuster felt his side lost their organisation too quickly while trying to recover their shape.
"We had the urge to go back to our original positions quickly, and we were clearly outnumbered," he said.
Freiburg improved after the break and showed more energy, but they were unable to find a way back into the match. Schuster believed an early second-half goal could have changed the momentum, although he admitted Villa remained the stronger side overall.
"It was not enough, unfortunately," he added. "We will reflect on this with a few days away and look at what we achieved together with our fans."
Despite the heavy defeat, Schuster tried to focus on the long-term positives for Freiburg, who will return to European competition in the 2026/27 Conference League campaign.
"Today is an experience from which we can become better," he said. "We can realistically assess where we stand and what is necessary. We will take that with us from today."
