Credit: Imago

Aheed Abrar

Wed 20 May 2026 20:50, UK Updated Wed 20 May 2026 21:25, UK

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has given the Freiburg defence food for thought in the Europa League final on Wednesday.

Marc Albrighton has been impressed with the striker’s runs in behind the Bundesliga outfit’s defence in the first half at the Besiktas Stadium on 20 May.

The ex-Villain and Premier League winner is spot on in suggesting that the English centre-forward’s tenacity and aggression up front have opened up space for the likes of Morgan Rogers, John McGinn and Emi Buendia.

It looks like the 30-year-old has been given instructions to constantly put the Freiburg defence under pressure, with the Lions looking to play the ball in behind the opposition defence at every opportunity in the opening 45 minutes.

Watkins is Unai Emery’s trusted attacker and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the B6 club persist with the strategy after the break.

Ollie Watkins can be Aston Villa star vs Freiburg

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Albrighton said, “Watkins’ runs that he makes are a nightmare for defenders. Even when they do track him, he leaves space for Rogers, McGinn and Buendia to run onto. It’s not just work for himself but for other players.”

Watkins has had several moments in the first half against Freiburg, but the forward has just been a tiny bit reluctant to shoot.

Matthias Ginter and Philipp Lienhart have had their heart in their mouths at times, with the England international clearly causing a lot of issues for them.

The striker has been caught offside once while trying to run in behind the Freiburg defence.

Watkins has been good with the ball at his feet, completing three of his four dribbles, recording five carries and playing one key pass in the opening 45 minutes at the Besiktas Stadium, as per Sofascore.

The centre-forward also won three of his seven ground duels and two of his four aerial duels.

The Villans have clearly had more opportunities to score before the break, but some of the players have lacked the quality in the final third when it matters most, although Youri Tielemans made no mistake with his magnificent strike in the 40th minute.

Emi Buendia then showed his quality with a sensational goal just before the break, putting the B6 club in the driving seat.

The Lions’ number 11 has the ability to find the back of the net with a half-decent chance and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get on the scoresheet

Unai Emery to cement Europa League legacy at Besiktas Stadium

Emery is already a record four-time Europa League winner and will further cement his status as a great in the competition with a fifth title.

The Spanish manager won three in a row with Sevilla between 2014 and 2016, then led Villarreal to glory in the competition in the 2020-21 campaign.

Villa are looking for their first title in 30 years and a win at the Besiktas Stadium would certainly be just reward for the 54-year-old head coach’s impressive work with the Lions over the years.

The Villans won the European Cup in 1982 and now have an opportunity to re-establish themselves as major players in Europe.