Aston Villa host Lille at Villa Park on Thursday night in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final, holding a slender 1-0 lead from the first match. Unai Emery’s side are aiming to reach a European semi-final for the third consecutive season, but recent league form has been poor, with just one win in seven Premier League games leaving their top-four hopes in doubt.
Ollie Watkins scored the only goal in France, Villa’s sole shot on target, to give Emery his 100th victory as head coach in a club-record 181 matches. However, a 3-1 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday has intensified the pressure to advance in Europe. The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and Discovery+, with build-up starting at 7pm.
Emi Buendia is a fitness concern after limping off at Old Trafford, while Matty Cash remains doubtful with a calf problem. Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara are out injured, and Ross Barkley is ineligible for the Europa League squad. Lille are without several players, including Hamza Igamane and Ethan Mbappé Lottin, but Olivier Giroud could return to the starting line-up.
Probable line-ups: Aston Villa – Martínez; Bogarde, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Luiz, Onana; McGinn, Rogers, Sancho; Watkins. Lille – Ozer; Santos, Mbemba, Mandi, Perraud; Bentaleb, André; Mukasu, Haraldsson, Perrin; Giroud.
