Credit: Imago

Cameron Smith

Fri 15 May 2026 15:36, UK

Aston Villa are preparing for their biggest week in years, with their Europa League final against Freiburg coinciding with their push for a top-five finish in the Premier League.

It has been a bizarre run for Unai Emery’s side, who are winless in their last three league matches.

After failing to bounce back from defeats to Fulham and Tottenham, the Villans were held to a 2-2 draw by Burnley on Sunday.

As a result, a top-five place is no longer the certainty it seemed just over a month ago, especially with clashes against Liverpool and Manchester City still to come.

Naturally, the temptation would be to rotate on Friday against the champions, but Emery need not worry, given the predicament facing fellow finalists Freiburg this weekend.

Freiburg also set for huge weekend ahead of Europa League final

With the final day of the Bundesliga season on Saturday, multiple places are up for grabs, including the Conference League spot that Freiburg currently occupy.

Balancing their European and league commitments, while reaching the DFB-Pokal semi-finals, it has been another fantastic year for Julian Schuster’s side, who sit seventh heading into the final match.

As they bring the campaign to a close, the Breisgauers face RB Leipzig, who secured their return to the Champions League with a win over St. Pauli on Saturday.

Much like Emery, Schuster has a difficult decision to make over just how seriously he approaches Saturday’s home clash.

Fortunately, Eintracht Frankfurt, directly behind them, face a tough test against Stuttgart, who could secure their own Champions League spot.

The same applies to Augsburg, who travel to Union Berlin, with the capital club aiming to end the season on a high after boss Marie-Louise Eta became the first woman to win a match as a coach in Europe’s top five leagues.

The challenge for Freiburg is that they cannot rely on the slip-ups of those behind them and must deliver against Leipzig if they are to secure another season of European football.

Unai Emery to maintain balance vs Liverpool

Looking ahead to Friday’s showdown, Unai Emery is faced with a major selection dilemma.

With the Europa League final fast approaching, the natural temptation may be to rotate his squad.

However, Villa’s need to maintain momentum cannot be overlooked, particularly with their place in the top five no longer as secure as it appeared just a few weeks ago.

If Villa were to fall to Liverpool, the door could open for Bournemouth and Brighton to close the gap significantly, especially with an extremely demanding trip to Manchester City still to come on the final day of the season.

Defeat would not only damage Villa’s league position but could also affect the mood and confidence around the squad and the club at a crucial stage, with Champions League qualification still a major objective as they build toward the final.

Emery may still opt to make changes, but given Villa’s recent run and the stakes involved, he is unlikely to take too many risks with his starting line-up.

Looking to the weekend, he can say his thanks, with Freiburg facing an equally tough test just days before the final.