Preview: Aston Villa vs Lille - prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking to reach a European quarter-final for the third successive season, Aston Villa welcome Lille to Villa Park for the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday night.

The Midlands club boast a slender one-goal first-leg advantage after a second-half header from Ollie Watkins sealed a 1-0 victory in France last week.

Match preview

Aston Villa’s first-leg victory over Lille was a landmark night for Unai Emery, who became just the fifth manager in the club’s history (after George Ramsay, Joe Mercer, W. J. Smith and Ron Saunders) to celebrate 100 wins, doing so in 181 games to become the quickest to reach the milestone.

One shot on target and one goal was all that was needed to Villa to edge past Lille and claim their eighth win in nine Europa League matches this season (L1), more than any other team in the competition.

Emery was impressed with his side’s ‘serious’ performance in France and the four-time Europa League winner is now looking to preserve his 100% record of advancing from the last 16 of Europe’s secondary club competition, with a quarter-final tie against either Bologna or Roma potentially up next.

Winning the Europa League may represent an alternative route into next season’s Champions League for Villa, who suffered their third consecutive Premier League defeat on Sunday (losing 3-1 at third-placed Man United) and are now clinging on to fourth spot by just two points.

The Midlands outfit will welcome Thursday’s return to Villa Park where they have won all four of their Europa League home games this term by an aggregate score of 8-3. However, since beating Red Bull Salzburg 3-2 on matchday eight of the League Phase, Villa have won only one of their last five home fixtures in all competitions (D1 L3), conceding nine goals.

Two years on from their Conference League quarter-final defeat to Aston Villa on penalties, Lille are in danger of crashing out of Europe at the hands of the same opponents after failing to convert their chances in last week’s first-leg loss in the Europa League.

Bruno Genesio’s side now face a difficult task of overturning the deficit away from home. However, it is something they have already achieved this season, as they came from one goal down against Red Star Belgrade to win 2-1 on aggregate, after extra time, and advance from their knockout round playoff.

Lille also have history of winning at Villa Park, as they claimed a 2-0 away victory over Villa in the second leg of an Intertoto Cup semi-final tie back in August 2002, though that success is one of only three triumphs in 20 previous encounters with English opposition (D5 L12).

Les Dogues - who have won five and lost six of their 11 Europa League games this season, including two away wins - head into Thursday’s second leg on the back of beating Rennes 2-1 on the road to move them to within three points of the top four in Ligue 1.

Genesio’s men must carry the same resilience and attacking prowess shown against Rennes into their contest with Villa, as they endeavour to pull off an upset and qualify for the Europa League quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

Aston Villa Europa League form:

Aston Villa form (all competitions):

Lille Europa League form:

Lille form (all competitions):

Team News

Aston Villa duo Youri Tielemans (ankle) and Boubacar Kamara (knee) remain sidelined with injuries, while Ross Barkley - who scored in the loss at Man United on Sunday - is ineligible after being omitted from the club’s Europa League squad.

Emiliano Buendia has emerged as a minor doubt after coming off in discomfort towards the end of the defeat at Old Trafford. Matty Cash will also be assessed after missing the last two games with a calf injury. Lamare Bogarde is ready to start again at right-back if needed.

Jadon Sancho is available for selection after he was ineligible to face parent club Man United. The winger could replace Buendia in the first XI, while John McGinn, Morgan Rogers and Watkins are all hoping to retain their starting spots.

As for Lille, Hamza Igamane (ACL), Ethan Mbappe Lottin (thigh), Marc-Aurele Caillard (elbow), Osame Sahraoui (groin) and Ousmane Toure (knee) are all ruled out with injuries.

Genesio made six changes to his side for the win at Rennes, but Tiago Santos, Chancel Mbemba, Romain Perraud, Benjamin Andre, Gaetan Perrin and Olivier Guroud could all be handed recalls against Villa.

At the ripe old age of 39, striker Giroud has scored a team-high nine goals in all competitions this season, including four in the Europa League - a competition the Frenchman won with Chelsea in 2018-19.

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Luiz, Onana; McGinn, Rogers, Sancho; Watkins

Lille possible starting lineup:

Ozer; Santos, Mbemba, Mandi, Perraud; Bentaleb, Andre; Mukasu, Haraldsson, Perrin; Giroud

We say: Aston Villa 2-1 Lille (Aston Villa to win 3-1 on aggregate)

Lille can take confidence from their comeback heroics against Red Star in the previous round, but they will be up against it when they face an Aston Villa outfit who have excelled in the Europa League this term and will be regarded as favourites on Thursday.

Villa have struggled on the domestic front in recent weeks, but Emery should still name a strong enough lineup that can outscore their French counterparts and secure their spot in the quarter-finals.

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