Aston Villa step onto the historic stage at the Tüpraş Stadyumu in Istanbul on Wednesday night, aiming to secure their first major continental silverware in 44 years.
Unai Emery’s side have navigated a relentless campaign to reach their first European final since lifting the European Cup in 1982. The Lions finished second during the league phase before systematically dismantling Lille, Bologna and Nottingham Forest in the knockout rounds. Confidence in the camp is high after a 4-2 victory over Liverpool on Friday officially secured a top-four Premier League finish and Champions League qualification for next season.
SC Freiburg, meanwhile, enter the absolute pinnacle of their 122-year club history by competing in their first major European final. Under Julian Schuster, the Black Forest outfit finished seventh in the league phase before producing an entertaining brand of attacking football to dispatch KRC Genk, Celta Vigo and Sporting Braga in the knockouts.
They warmed up for the occasion in style, thrashing RB Leipzig 4-1 on Saturday to lock down seventh place in the Bundesliga. While Freiburg are already guaranteed Conference League football next season, victory in Istanbul would take them directly into the Champions League — a remarkable prospect for a club of their size and history.
Freiburg vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news
- Competition: UEFA Europa League – Final
- Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 BST
- Venue: Tüpraş Stadyumu, Istanbul
- Referee: François Letexier (FRA)
- VAR: Jérôme Brisard (FRA)
Team news
Freiburg
Julian Schuster faces one devastating late-season blow as forward Yuito Suzuki is ruled out after suffering a fractured collarbone. Beyond that unfortunate setback, the Bundesliga side boast a remarkably clean bill of health following heavy squad rotation.
Midfielder Patrick Osterhage remains a minor doubt and faces a late fitness check, but defensive stalwart Matthias Ginter is fully fit after playing every single minute of the knockout stages. Nicolas Höfler will partner Maximilian Eggestein in midfield for his final emotional appearance before leaving the club.
Aston Villa
Unai Emery faces a defensive midfield dilemma with Amadou Onana fighting an uphill battle to recover from a nagging calf injury. The Belgian international returned to light training this week, but a final decision will be deferred until Wednesday afternoon.
His natural understudy, Victor Lindelöf, deputised brilliantly but is fighting his own race against time after limping off with a foot injury on Friday night. With Boubacar Kamara out for the season, Douglas Luiz or Lamare Bogarde could partner Youri Tielemans in the engine room.
Form
Freiburg
The German side have scored a brilliant 25 Europa League goals this term, showcasing elite firepower in their maiden final run. However, defensive consistency remains a severe issue for Schuster’s men, who conceded in nine consecutive matches across all competitions. They have also leaked goals in 11 of their 14 European ties this season.
Aston Villa
Villa arrive as the most balanced outfit, racking up 28 continental goals while conceding just eight times in 14 matches. No team in modern European football has won more games than Villa’s 26 since the start of the 2023-24 season. They registered 16 clean sheets during that period, trailing only Arsenal across the continent.
Predicted lineups
Freiburg Predicted XI: Atubolu; Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Treu; Eggestein, Manzambi; Beste, Höler, Grifo; Matanović
Aston Villa Predicted XI: Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; Lindelöf, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendía; Watkins
How to watch Freiburg vs Aston Villa?
The final is broadcast live in the United Kingdom on TNT Sports 1. Pre-match coverage begins at 19:00 BST. Subscribers can stream the match live through the Sky Go, Virgin TV Go, or HBO Max applications.
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