The Europa League final between Aston Villa and Freiburg at the Tupras Stadium in Istanbul on Wednesday, 20 May, promises to be one of the most intriguing finals the competition has produced in years.
With Freiburg vs Villa odds making Unai Emery’s side the 7/10 favourites against the Bundesliga outfit at 16/5, the match brings together a club chasing their first piece of major European silverware since 1982 and a German side appearing in their first European final in their history. Here are four players whose performances in Istanbul could decide the outcome.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Ollie Watkins has been the driving force of Villa’s European campaign, contributing five goals and two assists across 14 games in the competition. The England striker’s ability to lead the line, hold up play under pressure, and arrive in dangerous areas at pace has made him one of the most complete centre-forwards in the tournament, and his importance to Villa’s style of play cannot be overstated.
Emery has built his attacking structure around Watkins’ movement and work rate, using him as both a focal point and a pressing trigger from the front. In the knockout rounds, Watkins has demonstrated his ability to deliver when the stakes are highest, and his partnership with the players around him has grown sharper with every game. If Villa are to win their first European trophy in 44 years, Watkins is the most likely source of the goal that settles it.
John McGinn (Aston Villa)
Five goals and an assist from midfield in just 11 Europa League appearances is a return that many forwards would be proud of, and it underlines just how important the Villa captain has been to this campaign.
McGinn’s defining moment came in the semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest, where Villa overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit with a 4-0 win at Villa Park, with McGinn scoring twice to put the tie beyond doubt. His ability to arrive late into dangerous areas, combined with his leadership under pressure and his capacity to perform on the biggest occasions, makes him one of the most important players in Emery’s squad.
With Europa League odds offering genuine value on a low-scoring final, McGinn’s set-piece threat and late runs from deep could prove decisive in a tight contest.
Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg)
If there is one player Villa’s coaching staff will have spent the most time preparing for, it is Vincenzo Grifo. The Italian international winger has been Freiburg’s standout performer throughout this campaign, contributing five goals and four assists across 14 appearances. What makes him particularly dangerous is his consistency in the knockout rounds specifically.
He scored and assisted in the 5-1 second-leg win over Genk in the last 16, a result that also saw him break Freiburg’s all-time club scoring record. He then scored in the first leg against both Celta Vigo and Braga in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively, before providing the assists in the second legs of both ties.
The pattern is striking: Grifo produces when Freiburg need him most. At 33, he is playing some of the best football of his career, and his delivery from wide areas and his ability to cut inside onto his right foot give Villa’s defensive line a problem that will require careful management throughout.
Matthias Ginter (Freiburg)
While Grifo provides the attacking threat, Matthias Ginter provides the defensive foundation upon which Freiburg’s remarkable run has been built. The experienced Germany international has been ever-present across all 14 of Freiburg’s Europa League matches.
His two goals from centre-back add an additional dimension, and his 17 tackles and 81 balls recovered across the campaign speak to a player who leads by action as much as by experience. Ginter has been so impressive during Freiburg’s run that his performances have prompted renewed discussion about a possible return to the German national squad.
At 31, with a European final on his CV and a campaign of sustained excellence behind him, that conversation is not without merit. For Villa, containing his aerial presence at set pieces will be as important as managing Grifo in open play.
