Stiliyan Petrov backs ‘different’ Ollie Watkins for World Cup, hails Morgan Rogers and ‘King’ Unai Emery before Aston Villa's Europea League final

Aston Villa are preparing for the UEFA Europa League final against Freiburg in Istanbul on Wednesday night, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Villa have already earned Champions League football next season after an impressive season, though there was a mid-season wobble that saw them struggle before the team clicked back into gear.

Watkins has 19 goals this season, including five in Europe, making him one of the key dangermen for the club.

Discussing that difficult period and the resurgence, Petrov believes the striker suffered because he was playing in a team that was finding it hard to create chances.

He told TNT Sports: ”It wasn't just Ollie Watkins, it was literally the team. The team wasn't playing well. When the team wasn't playing well, they weren't creating chances.

”They weren’t playing well, they weren’t playing with confidence, but as soon as they went back to normality, starting playing well, they started getting key players [Youri] Tielemans, [John] McGinn back, they started playing with a smile.

”Something was missing for a while. That’s why Ollie Watkins, now, is getting the rewards.”

With his ruthless touch in front of goal restored, the Bulgarian backed England manager Thomas Tuchel to take Watkins to the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Petrov said: ”Of course. He’s different. I think Tuchel is definitely looking at how players perform, not just in the Premier League, but in European football, and Ollie Watkins has been outstanding. 

”That’s why I think he will be in the England squad. He deserves to be there, especially in the form he’s in at the moment.”

One player who seems set to go to the World Cup with England is Rogers, who could get the nod at No. 10 instead of Chelsea's Cole Palmer and Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham.

Petrov sees Rogers as integral to Villa, explaining: ”He’s the key. He’s the brain. He’s the one I would say, because everything goes through him.

"As soon as he gets the ball to feet, he knows what to do to make a difference. He brings others into play. The team trusts him. That is the main thing. 

"You’ve seen - every time Morgan Rogers plays well, Ollie Watkins plays well. If Morgan Rogers doesn't play well, Ollie Watkins doesn’t play well.”

Villa's last European trophy was the Super Cup, won in 1982 after they won the European Cup in the previous season.

Bringing the trophy home this week would cement Unai Emery’s position as one of the best coaches of all time for the club, Petrov believes.

”They have a great European manager, the King. Top three," he added. ”If he wins a European cup he has to be in the top three, but you can't forget other managers.

”He will stay as a legend at this club for many many decades. He's a manager, first with discipline, [then] determination to win, football knowledge how to get his team to play in a certain way. 

”He says the right messages to get the team to trust him that that is the way to do it. When you have a manager who has that kind of charisma, players are willing to play.”

Wednesday's match is the first of three European club finals, with all exclusively live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

The focus will shift to the UEFA Conference League final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday, May 27 at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, live from 18:30 UK time on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and HBO Max. 

There will be expert analysis from a team including Glenn Hoddle, Joel Ward and Joleon Lescott.

The TNT Sports’ cameras then head to Budapest as Arsenal take on reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain on May 30 in a quest for their first Champions League title.

TNT Sports' coverage will kick off with a 'Champions League Final – Super Weekend' show presented by Reshmin Chowdhury live from 10:30 UK time with guests from across the sporting and entertainment world. 

Live coverage of the game will begin from 15:00, kick-off at 17:00, and Laura Woods will be joined by Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves and Martin Keown.

All three European Finals will be available for no extra cost to all HBO Max* subscribers on any Monthly or Saver Plan – starting from Basic with Ads (£4.99/month**) and above.

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