Freiburg midfielder Maxi Eggestein has admitted he would not be surprised if Aston Villa supporters laughed at the notion of their team losing the Europa League final, as SC Freiburg lean into their underdog status ahead of the clash in Istanbul.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference at Tepras Stadium, Eggestein appeared to engage in early psychological warfare. While Villa are widely considered favourites, head coach Unai Emery has downplayed that perception, rightly insisting the final remains a 50-50 contest.
Contrasting seasons
Villa enter the match after securing Champions League qualification with a 4-2 victory over Liverpool, while Freiburg booked a place in next season's Conference League after finishing seventh in the Bundesliga.
A German reporter revealed that some Villa fans in Istanbul had laughed at the prospect of defeat, even mocking Freiburg's chances due to the club's lack of major silverware.
"I don't think anybody needs to motivate us for the match," Eggestein said of the journalist's claim. "I can imagine those words being said and something like that happening. Supporters should talk about that themselves."
"I think that if someone needs more motivation, then there's something wrong with them. We don't need extra motivation. But it's still quite funny, of course. The fans should have fun, but unfortunately that includes the occasional sting, and we will try to do our job on the pitch."
Fan presence debate
When asked about the setting for the final, Eggestein also claimed he had seen more Freiburg supporters than Villa fans in Istanbul, a remark many will strongly dispute.
"We drove through the city and there were mainly Freiburg supporters to be honest," the midfielder said. "We could see a lot - it's a pulsating city and a nice place to play a final."
Discussing Aston Villa, Eggestein added: "They're a strong team individually, but they're also very good as a unit. They have a lot of good players, they work very well together, they've shown that in the Premier League, and they've now qualified for the Champions League."
"We know what we're up against, but we also have a few ideas about how we can pull this off, and hopefully we'll be able to execute those ideas well tomorrow. We're aware that [Unai Emery] is the most successful coach in the history of the tournament but that was with Sevilla and Villarreal so we haven't analysed that – only his Aston Villa team is relevant to us."
