- Unai Emery has named an unchanged side from the starting XI that faced Liverpool last Friday
- Victor Lindelöf keeps his place in midfield ahead of Amadou Onana who is on the bench
- SC Freiburg have made two changes
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has named the same starting XI that beat Liverpool 4-2 last Friday, with Victor Lindelöf partnering Youri Tielemans in midfield once again. Julian Schuster has made two changes to his SC Freiburg side.
This is it then. The Europa League final. Both teams go into the huge clash on the back of wins over the weekend. The Villans dismantling Liverpool 4-2 at Villa Park, and Freiburg hammering RB Leipzig 4-1 at the Europa-Park Stadion.
Villa are looking to end their 30-year wait for a major trophy, after their last came in the 1996 League Cup. While Freiburg are hoping to secure their first ever piece of silverware in the club’s history.
The stakes could not be higher. For Villa, the weight of etching this modern era into the history books hangs over them. Meanwhile, Julian Schuster’s side has the pressure of becoming the first team, since the club was founded, to bring home a trophy.
Here are the teams below.
Expected back four
At the heart of defence, Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres have been entrusted to fulfil the roles they have operated so well of late. The latter makes his 100th start in claret and blue.
Both have displayed valuable composure on the ball, which will be so crucial in breaking down the man-to-man press of Freiburg.
Matty Cash and Lucas Digne are selected as the full-backs. The pair have steadily gone about their business this season and have done well going forward. With an assist against Liverpool, Digne has the most assists for a defender in the Premier League in the current campaign.
Emery keeps faith in Lindelöf
After four consecutive solid performances in midfield, Victor Lindelöf has been named once again alongside Youri Tielemans.
Despite Amadou Onana returning from injury, Emery is obviously keen to maintain stability and consistency in the middle of the park. The Belgian is among the substitutes. His impact from the bench will be beneficial in the latter stages of the game, perhaps when Freiburg begins to tire.
Purple patch attack
In attack is where Emery has the easiest of decisions. John McGinn remains on the right with Emi Buendía on the left. As shown in the results against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, their work rate, energy, and fight are incredibly important to this Villa side.
Meanwhile, Morgan Rogers starts in the No 10 once again, off the back of his goal and assist last weekend.
Finally, Ollie Watkins leads the line, needing one more goal to reach his target of 20 for the season.
Between the four of them, they have amassed 15 goal contributions in the last three matches, with nine goals and six assists.
Aston Villa confirmed XI: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Lindelöf, Tielemans, McGinn, Buendía, Rogers, Watkins
Subs: Bizot, Wright, Mings, Garcia, Maatsen, Bogarde, Luiz, Onana, Elliott, Bailey, Sancho, Abraham
SC Freiburg confirmed XI: Atubolu, Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Treu, Eggestein, Höfler, Beste, Manzambi, Grifo, Matanovic
Subs: Müller, Huth, Jung, Ogbus, Günter, Makengo, Rosenfelder, Osterhage, Irié, Scherhant, Höler, Philipp
