| The clash between Lille and Aston Villa will take place at Stade Pierre Mauroy is one of the most anticipated 1/8-finals in the Europa League. It is a repeat of the quarter-final of the Conference League in 2024, when Villa dramatically advanced after penalties. The French side come into the match in better form at the moment. They are on a four-match unbeaten run with 3 wins and 1 draw, although they conceded a late equaliser to make it 1-1 against Lorient at the weekend. Lille eliminated Red Star Belgrade in the play-offs to get here. Unai Emery's side are going through a difficult period. They are winless in their last four matches, including a heavy 1-4 defeat at Chelsea and a loss at Wolverhampton in the Premier League. However, Villa were almost perfect in the group stage, winning 7 of their 8 matches. For the hiata, eyes will be on veteran Olivier Giroud, who knows English football well and has already scored 4 goals in the tournament this season. Villa are seriously weakened in midfield. Midfielders John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans are out due to injuries. Matty Cash is also in doubt. Lille are traditionally strong at home in Europe, while Villa have struggled on the road recently. |
