Fresh from securing an impressive 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates, Aston Villa will aim to book their place in the last four of the Europa Conference League on Thursday.
Standing in their way are Lille, who suffered a 2-1 defeat in the first leg, despite racking up 59% possession and 11 shots at Villa Park last week.
In this preview, we discuss all the key stats, trends and analysis ahead of the second leg in France. Keep reading to discover what Forebet’s AI algorithm predicts.
Just watch the away end, again. 😍 pic.twitter.com/kr4YCBdYv8— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 15, 2024
Just watch the away end, again. 😍 pic.twitter.com/kr4YCBdYv8
Lille found themselves 2-0 down in the first leg following goals from Ollie Watkins and John McGinn, but a late strike from Bafode Diakite gave them a lifeline in the tie.
LOSC did not have a game last weekend, meaning they have not played since the first leg, although they remain fourth in the Ligue 1 table – three points outside the top three.
Prior to last week’s loss, Lille enjoyed a seven-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, picking up four wins and three draws along the way.
That was also LOSC’s first loss in the Europa Conference League this season, with six wins – including four home victories – and four draws preceding that defeat.
On the flip side, Aston Villa backed up the first-leg triumph with a 2-0 win at Arsenal on Sunday, courtesy of late goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins.
Not only did Unai Emery’s side overcome one of the Premier League title contenders, but they also strengthened their bid for a top-four finish.
The Villains have now won three of their last five matches across all competitions, suffering just two defeats in their previous 12 encounters.
Aston Villa have also enjoyed plenty of success in the Europa Conference League this season, losing only one of their 11 matches while securing eight victories.
Head-to-head: Lille and Aston Villa have faced each other three times over the years, with both sides picking up a win and a draw in this fixture.
LOSC went unbeaten against Villa in the 2002-03 Intertoto Cup, drawing 1-1 before winning 2-0, but the Villains finally gained their revenge last week.
Team news: The hosts look set to be without the injured trio of Rafael Fernandes (muscle), Andrej Ilic (calf) and Samuel Umtiti (knee) for the second leg.
On the flip side, Aston Villa’s injury list features Tyrone Mings (knee), Jacob Ramsey (foot), Emiliano Buendia (knee) and Boubacar Kamara (knee).
If the first leg is anything to go by, the second leg will be a high-scoring affair with plenty of goals, as both sides bid to reach the semi-finals.
Forebet predicts that Lille and Aston Villa will share over 3.5 goals on Thursday, with the visitors progressing thanks to their aggregate advantage.