Published May 18, 5:05am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated May 18, 5:05am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated May 18, 5:05am ET
A busy period of European finals kicks off on May 20, as the Europa League showpiece will be staged in Istanbul. Aston Villa will be heavily favored to win a first major honor since 1996 when they face Freiburg.
Unai Emery has been a specialist in the Europa League, winning the honor on four occasions. But, can Villa end a memorable campaign with a historic feat in Turkey?
|
|
|---|---|
| Freiburg | +470 |
| DRAW | +285 |
| Aston Villa | -150 |
It has been a memorable period for German club Freiburg, with Julian Schuster guiding them to a historic first appearance in a major European final. The German club has been consistent throughout the season, which includes a respectable seventh-place finish in the Bundesliga.
In the Europa League, Freiburg have played to a high standard in the knockout rounds, recording home wins over Genk, Celta Vigo, and Braga in the last three rounds. However, it would be a notable concern that they have lost two of their three fixtures away from the Europa-Park Stadion.
ALSO SEE: Preakness Stakes Picks — Betting Preview and Predictions (May 16)
The improvement made by Aston Villa since Unai Emery’s arrival has to be respected, but they will have their sights on a historic first major honor in over 30 years this week.
The Villa’s recent form is red-hot, showing their attacking quality in their latest league outing by beating Liverpool 4-2 at home. In Europe, the Villa have been very strong, winning five of their six clashes in the knockout round. Impressively, they have kept clean sheets in four of their fixtures.
| TOTAL | Freiburg | Aston Villa | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Goals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Freiburg have shown impressive form throughout the season, but we fully expect them to come up short in their dream of winning a first major honor. Aston Villa’s quality at both ends of the field ensure that they will be a standout selection to win by a comfortable 2-0 scoreline.
|
Pick
Aston Villa (-150)
|
New Player Bonus
50% up to $1000
|
