It’s the Europa League final on Wednesday night in Istanbul.
Two surprise contestants will be battling it out in a huge game that will give the winner automatic access to the Champions League next season.
Match Preview and Facts
- Start: 20 May at 20:00
- Venue: Besiktas Park, Istanbul
- Coverage: TNT Sports, HBO Max
- Aston Villa haven’t won a major trophy since the League Cup in 1996
- Freiburg don’t have any major trophy wins in their 122 year history
Betting Tip: Freiburg - Aston Villa
This game promises to have goals in it.
Freiburg aren’t a side to die wondering. Just look at their last few results, most recent first: 4-1, 3-2, 3-1, 1-1, 2-1, 4-0, 2-1, and 2-1. Villa have had some entertaining games too, which included beating Liverpool 4-2 on Friday night, to go with a 2-2 draw with Burnley the week before, and that 4-0 win over Forest in the semi.
Both teams to score looks a surprisingly high price at 2.05, and that’s what we’re going with here.
- Prediction: BTTS Yes
- Odds: 2.05 (at the time of writing)
Villa Are Strong Favourites
The bookies think Freiburg have it all to do at Besiktas Park on Wednesday night, with Aston Villa strong favourites to go and lift the trophy.
It’s just 1.29 that Emery wins yet another Europa League title, with Freiburg at 3.7 or up to 10.0 with boosted odds. On the match odds market, it’s 1.62 on the English side to win, 5.0 on Freiburg, and 3.75 on the draw.
The market is somewhat split as to the likelihood of goals, with over 2.5 goals trading at 2.05 and under 2.5 goals available at 1.75.
Whereas it’s been very much a team effort to make it to the final, it’s also true that Villa's attacking pair, Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers, have more than played their part.
Watkins has scored five goals so far and is 2.4 to get another, though it’s worth noting that three of those were the opening goal of the match, so you may prefer to push the boat out and go for him to be first goalscorer at a bigger 5.0.
Rogers is 6.5 to be the first scorer himself and 3.0 to score anytime. Both players are 2.0 to either score or assist.
But save a thought for skipper John McGinn. He may not attract the headlines the other two do and isn’t as easy on the eye in terms of his playing style. He’s scored five goals of his own in this campaign and is 4.5 to get a sixth.
In other markets, you can get 2.2 on there being over 4.5 cards in the match and 13.0 that Villa win the final on penalties.
Unexpected Finalists to Battle It Out in Istanbul
You would have gotten sky-high odds a few months ago on Aston Villa and Freiburg contesting the Europa League final.
Though Villa have a strong pedigree in Europe as winners of the European Cup (now Champions League) back in 1982, if they go on to win this, it will be their first major trophy of any description since they won the League Cup in 1996.
Then again, it helps to have by far the most successful manager in the history of the Europa League in charge of your team. Unai Emery has won the Europa League on four occasions, three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal. A win for Villa on Wednesday and that would make it an incredible five Europa League wins to his name.
Villa overcame Lille and Bologna in the early knockout rounds before getting the better of fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest in the semis, despite going into the second leg 1-0 down. They ended up winning 4-1 on aggregate.
If Villa’s appearance in the final is a surprise, then that’s nothing compared to Freiburg. If it’s they that go on to win Wednesday’s big game, it will be the first major trophy in their history, let alone their first European one. It’s been a long 122-year wait for some silverware, and they’re unlikely to get a better chance than this one.
Villa at least have a big budget to work with as a big Premier League side, but Julian Schuster’s side has to rely on good-value cheap signings. It has built a reputation as one of the best-run clubs in Europe, consistently over-performing against richer and seemingly stronger opposition.
They got the better of Genk, Celta Vigo and Braga to get this far.
