Aston Villa face off against Freiburg in the 2026 Europa League final on Wednesday night, as the Tüpraş Stadyumu in Istanbul, Türkiye, plays host.While the Bundesliga club are preparing to make their bow in the final of a UEFA competition, Villa are aiming to evoke the spirit of 1982, when they stunned Bayern Munich in the European Cup final thanks to Peter Withe’s scrambled finish after the hour mark. They’ve failed to return to a European final since, and are hoping to conclude another stellar season with Unai Emery leading the way. While the Europa League master has prioritized this competition down the stretch, Villa also secured a top-five Premier League finish after thumping Liverpool 4–2 at Villa Park last Friday.Emery’s men roared back from a 1–0 first leg deficit against domestic rivals Nottingham Forest in the semifinals to reach the showpiece event, having finished second in the league phase table before beating Lille and Bologna in the knockout stages. Freiburg, who have never won a major trophy in their 122-year history, have been steady Eddies in the German top flight in recent years, finishing seventh this time around. After qualifying automatically for the knockouts, Julian Schuster’s side overcame Genk, Celta Vigo and Braga to set up their first meeting with the Villans. Freiburg vs. Aston Villa Score PredictionVillans Triumph In IstanbulEmery is inevitable in the Europa League. | MAJA HITIJ/POOL/AFP/Getty ImagesVictory on Wednesday night would mean so much to both clubs, with Aston Villa hoping to end a trophy drought of their own. They’ve achieved plenty with Emery and have punched above their weight again this season, so claiming silverware in Istanbul would be just reward for the work Emery has overseen in the West Midlands. It’s been 30 years without a major trophy.In the opposite corner, we’re talking about a fairytale. The Black Forest club are chasing history on the banks of the Bosphorus, with the stellar efforts of long-time manager Christian Streich aptly followed by his successor, Schuster, who has no relation to former Real Madrid boss and German soccer legend, Bernd, by the way. Inevitable Emery: Aston Villa were the favorites to win this competition from the very start, largely because of the man they have in the dugout. Unai Emery is the most successful manager in Europa League history, and he’s gunning for a record-extending fifth trophy on Wednesday night.Rollicking recent performances: Villa disappointed the Premier League by producing a turgid display against the relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur, but they’ve since offered two of their most electrifying performances of the season. They blew past Forest to reach the final before thumping Liverpool last time out in the Premier League. With Emery picking the strongest team available, they should have too much for Freiburg.Watkins finding form: There have been questions as to whether Ollie Watkins will find himself omitted from England’s World Cup squad, having endured long spells of indifference this season. However, Villa’s sharpshooting center forward is enjoying a strong conclusion to 2025–26, scoring 10 times in his last 11 games. He has a goal contribution in all but one of Villa’s Europa League knockout stage outings, too.Prediction: Freiburg 0–2 Aston VillaFreiburg Predicted Lineup vs. Aston VillaFreiburg almost have a full complement of players available. | FotMobSchuster has been forced to tinker with his preferred lineup in May after Japanese international Yuito Suzuki fractured his collarbone. Suzuki misses out again on Wednesday, but he was called up to Japan’s World Cup squad. Patrick Osterhage, Max Rosenfelder and Daniel Kofi-Kyereh are also out injured for Freiburg. Johan Manzambi is one to keep an eye on in the middle of the park, given the season he’s had in the Bundesliga. The 20-year-old maestro is bound to play a big role for Switzerland at the World Cup off the back of his breakthrough campaign.Italian veteran Vincenzo Grifo is their top scorer in the competition with five goals, but striker Igor Matanović was their leading marksman in the Bundesliga, finding the back of the net 11 times. Freiburg predicted lineup vs. Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Atubolu; Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Treu; Eggestein, Manzambi; Beste, Höler, Grifo; Matanović.Aston Villa Predicted Lineup vs. FreiburgEmery potentially has a big decision to make in midfield. | FotMobWith Boubacar Kamara ruled out, the Aston Villa starting lineup should pick itself. However, there’s a chance that Amadou Onana recovers from his calf injury in time. Victor Lindelöf, a center back by trade, has been used effectively alongside Youri Tielemans in recent outings and will retain his place if Onana isn’t fully fit. The Swede did pick up a knock on Friday night against Liverpool, but he should be O.K. to start in Istanbul. The plucky Emiliano Buendía, who’s emerged as a clutch performer for Villa this season, is also carrying a knock and is doubtful for the final. Otherwise, the Premier League side are good to go. Watkins is in fine fettle and skipper John McGinn cannot stop scoring at the moment. Aston Villa predicted lineup vs. Freiburg (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Lindelöf, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendía; Watkins.What Time Does Freiburg vs. Aston Villa Kick Off?Location: Istanbul, TürkiyeStadium: Tüpraş StadyumuDate: Wednesday, May 20Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PTReferee: François Letexier (FRA)VAR: Jérôme Brisard (FRA)How to Watch Freiburg vs. Aston Villa on TV, Live StreamCountryTV Channel/Live StreamUnited KingdomTNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, HBO MaxUnited StatesCBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN USA, DAZN USA, UniMás, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN AppCanadaDAZN Canada, fuboTV CanadaMexicoESPN Mexico, Claro Sports, Disney+ Premium MexicoREAD THE LATEST EUROPA LEAGUE NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow