Aston Villa, fresh from their impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates, are aiming to secure a spot in the Europa Conference League semi-finals on Thursday.
Match Preview
Their opponent, Lille, faced a 2-1 defeat in the first leg despite dominating possession with 59% and attempting 11 shots at Villa Park last week.
In the initial leg, Ollie Watkins and John McGinn scored for Aston Villa, putting Lille 2-0 behind, but a late goal from Bafode Diakite gave them hope in the tie.
LOSC didn’t play last weekend, maintaining their position as fourth in the Ligue 1 table, three points off the top three.
Before their loss in the previous week, Lille had an unbeaten streak of seven games across all competitions, with four wins and three draws.
That loss marked their first in the Europa Conference League this season, having secured six wins and four draws in earlier matches.
In contrast, Aston Villa followed their first-leg victory with another win, defeating Arsenal 2-0 on Sunday with late goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins.
Their win not only upset one of the Premier League title contenders but also bolstered their quest for a top-four finish.
Aston Villa has won three of their last five matches and suffered only two defeats in their previous 12 encounters across all competitions.
They’ve also performed well in the Europa Conference League, losing just one of their 11 matches and winning eight.
Head-to-Head:
Lille and Aston Villa have met three times, each side securing a win and a draw.
Lille went unbeaten against Villa in the 2002-03 Intertoto Cup, drawing 1-1 before winning 2-0. However, Aston Villa exacted revenge in the first leg.
Team News & Updates:
Lille might miss Rafael Fernandes, Andrej Ilic, and Samuel Umtiti due to injuries.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Jacob Ramsey, and Boubacar Kamara are sidelined.
Prediction & Analysis:
Anticipate an intense encounter with goals aplenty, as both teams strive for a semi-final berth.
Despite Lille’s efforts, Aston Villa’s aggregate advantage may see them through, with a prediction of over 3.5 goals shared between the two sides.
- Lille 2-2 Aston Villa
