Lille – Aston Villa

The French and English teams will score at least one goal apiece.

One of the most interesting confrontations in the Europa League knockout stage will begin with a match in France. The tournament's key favorite will arrive here. Unai Emery's team was elevated to this status by bookmakers even before the start of the competition, but during the group stage Aston Villa did not give any reason to doubt them. Now the Villans are experiencing their second slump of the current season, which certainly increases Lille's chances of success. Before visiting the Ligue 1 club, Aston Villa are on a four-match winless run. About the same length of time Emery's side endured failures at the start of the season, when for a long time they could neither win nor score at least one goal. The French outfit, overall, is not having its best football year. In the last off-season the Dogs lost several important players, which is why bookmakers did not forecast their fight for a place in the Champions League zone. Nevertheless, Lille does not give the impression of a weak team, and its current sixth place in Ligue 1 reflects its real level of play. In the Europa League group stage the French club failed to finish in the Top 8 and had to fight for a place in the Round of 16 against Red Star Belgrade. After losing to the Serbs on their home ground, Lille managed to push the tie to extra time on the road, during which they scored the decisive goal against Dejan Stankovic's side. Bookmakers set the visitors as favorites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 2.40 on their victory. The victory over the Serbian champions was not Lille's only success in recent weeks. The team managed to win in two of the last rounds of the French championship. Their opponents were not exactly the strongest Angers and Nantes, so one should not overestimate the Dogs' form. However, a run of three consecutive wins, at least, underscores the home team's decent readiness. Aston Villa, on the contrary, lost their last two Premier League matches, which complicated their position in the battle for a place in the Champions League zone. At the same time, the Villans were given eight days to prepare for the match in France, which in the crowded English calendar looks like a luxury. Let's bet that neither of the opponents will leave the field without a goal.