After a run of one win and five defeats in eight domestic matches, Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery perhaps has more cause than usual to be wary of protecting a 1-0 Europa League last-16 lead at home to in-form Lille on Thursday.
While Villa’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday was their third in a row in the Premier League, their next opponents are on a six-match unbeaten run in France and are fifth in Ligue 1 after winning 2-1 at Rennes on the same day.
“Our respect for this competition is massive, and so is our respect for the team they are,” said Emery, whose side won the first encounter through Ollie Watkins’ goal and could feature returning captain John McGinn from the start at Villa Park.
“In their league, they are really being fantastic. I respect Lille a lot. With [head coach] Bruno Genesio, they are being so, so competitive.
“They’re an experienced team with young players [and] players of huge potential. The coach is very experienced and they have some players with a lot of experience in Europe and at the highest level.”
Lille have the third-best home record in Ligue 1 and overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit by beating Crvena zvezda 2-0 in Belgrade to reach this stage.
“We have to keep going,” said forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo, acknowledging the “very important” task ahead of Lille.
“The coach [has told us] that we need to be very intense from the start. We put the pressure on [against Rennes] and scored very quickly. We also defended very well.”
Former Rennes and Lyon boss Senesio said Lille displayed “combinations that we hadn’t seen for some time” in their latest victory.
“I saw players liberated offensively, with interesting sequences following high recoveries or on counter-attacks,” he added, via Lille’s website.
“When we work together, we’re a team capable of great things. Perhaps we lost that at the beginning of the year, which cost us dearly. We’re on the right track and we can be hopeful.”
Aston Villa v Lille team news
Right-back Matty Cash (calf) and midfielders Boubacar Kamara (knee) and Youri Tielemans (ankle) are out for Villa, as are wingers Emiliano Buendia and Harvey Elliott with knocks. Ross Barkley is ineligible.
Lille defender Ousmane Toure and striker Hamza Igamane have knee injuries. Wingers Ethan Mbappe (thigh) and Osame Sahraoui (groin) and goalkeeper Marc-Aurele Caillard (elbow) are also sidelined.
