The most intense and decisive stage of the international football season on European pitches has arrived. Today, May 20, the attractive Europa League final, long-awaited by millions of fans, will take place. In it, England's fierce Aston Villa club will face the representative of the German Bundesliga — the unexpected and stubborn Freiburg team for the main trophy.
The magnificent Tupras Stadium in the beautiful city of Istanbul, Turkey, will host this grandiose confrontation, which will be officiated by an experienced French refereeing team led by François Letexier.
Unai Emery — the true king of the Europa League?
Renowned Spanish specialist Unai Emery can be called an unrivaled 'professor' of winning the Europa League. Throughout his career, he has managed to reach the summit of this tournament 4 times — lifting the cup three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal. Now, at the helm of Aston Villa, he is stepping toward his 5th gold medal.
At the moment, the Spanish coach has a very favorable opportunity for this. Football expertise shows that Emery is accustomed to getting maximum results from teams considered 'mid-table' in Europe. Although his tenure at London's Arsenal was not successful, he was able to make Sevilla and Villarreal trophy winners. He has returned the Birmingham side to the English football elite in a short time, and they are very close to the European trophy that the club's fans have been waiting for for thirty years.
History and trophy past of the teams
Freiburg: The German club has reached the final stage of a prestigious European competition for the first time in its history. Operating with a modest budget in the Bundesliga, this team can truly write a new history today. However, to do so, they must overcome the hurdle of the Birmingham club.
Aston Villa: The English club last won the FA Cup in 1996. The team's brightest period dates back to 1982 — when the Birmingham side won the European Cup (now the Champions League) and became the best on the continent. Since then, the team spent many years as a mid-table side in the Premier League.
The difficult and long road to the final
Both teams experienced intense battles against many famous European clubs before reaching the Istanbul final:
Opponents defeated by Freiburg: Braga (3:1, 1:2), Celta (3:1, 3:0), Genk (5:1, 0:1), Lille (0:1), Maccabi (1:0), Salzburg (1:0), Viktoria (0:0), Nice (3:1), Utrecht (2:0), Bologna (1:1), and Basel (2:1).
Opponents defeated by Aston Villa: Nottingham Forest (4:0, 0:1), Bologna (4:0, 3:1), Lille (2:0, 1:0), Salzburg (3:2), Fenerbahçe (1:0), Basel (2:1), Young Boys (2:1), Maccabi (2:0), Eagles (1:2), Feyenoord (2:0), and Bologna (1:0).
Probable starting lineups:
Freiburg: Atubolu, Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Treu, Eggestein, Beste, Manzambi, Höler, Grifo, Matanović.
Aston Villa: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Lindelöf, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Buendía, Watkins.
'I am not the king of this tournament'
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery did not lose his humility while answering journalists' questions at the pre-final press conference:
'I am not the absolute king of this tournament. Now, a completely new chapter has opened in my life and career with Aston Villa. All the victories and events that happened in the past are history. Today, my task is to win the match against a strong opponent with my current team and make our fans happy,' said the Spanish specialist.
We remind you that the long-awaited Freiburg vs Aston Villa match starts tonight at 23:59 Tashkent time. Don't miss this night!
In your opinion, will Unai Emery win his 5th Europa League trophy with Aston Villa, or will Freiburg cause a sensation?
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
