Aston Villa are in Istanbul, seeking their first European silverware in 42 years as they face Freiburg in the Europa League final this evening (8pm, TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max). Victory would mark the club's first major trophy in 30 years, since winning the League Cup in the 1995/96 season by defeating Leeds United 3-0 at Wembley.
While Villa have not experienced much success recently, their manager Unai Emery certainly has, aiming for his fifth triumph in this competition. This will be his sixth Europa League final; he has lifted the trophy three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal, who beat Manchester United in the 2021 final. His only defeat came at Arsenal, losing 4-1 to Chelsea in Baku.
Villa are clear favourites with betting sites at a best price of 4/6, compared to 19/4 for a German victory. Villa enter the match on the back of two wins and a draw, including an impressive 4-2 home victory over Liverpool to secure Champions League football for next season. In this competition, they have won 12 and lost just two of 14 matches, with one defeat in the semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest (1-0) and another in October against Go Ahead Eagles (2-1). Villa finished joint top of the league phase with 21 points from eight games, while Freiburg were seventh with 17.
Freiburg have won nine, lost three, and drawn two, with defeats away to Lille, Genk, and Braga in the semi-final before bouncing back to win the second leg. They have won only two of their last seven matches in all competitions and sit seventh in the Bundesliga, 42 points behind champions Bayern Munich.
Freiburg vs Aston Villa Betting Preview
This is the first meeting between the two sides. Villa have beaten Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in last season's Champions League, so they should not fear Julian Schuster's team. Freiburg have never won a major trophy; their best Europa League performance before this season was the round of 16 in 2022/23 and 2023/24. However, in a one-off game, anything can happen, and Villa will not take anything for granted.
Goals are expected, as both sides are the top two scorers in the competition. Aston Villa have 28 goals, while Freiburg have 25, including three or more in four of their last six games. Both teams to score is priced at 21/20, and over 2.5 goals is available at 42/41.
Prediction 1: Villa to Win & Both Teams to Score – 29/10 Unibet
Striker Ollie Watkins is in excellent form, with 10 goals in his last 11 games, including two against Liverpool. He has scored five in this competition and is eager to force his way back into England's World Cup plans.
Prediction 2: Watkins to Score at Any Time – 6/4 Ladbrokes
Team News
Freiburg: Yuito Suzuki is the only absentee after fracturing his collarbone.
Aston Villa: Amadou Onana and Victor Lindelof are doubts. Onana was injured in the semi-final first leg, and Lindelof limped off against Liverpool with a foot problem.
Predicted Lineups
Freiburg: Atubolu; Kubler, Ginter, Lienhart, Treu; Eggestein, Manzambi; Beste, Holer, Grifo; Matanovic
Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; Luiz, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins
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