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Europa Conference League Betting Tips & Predictions: Lille vs Aston Villa
After a 2-1 win for Unai Emery’s side at Villa Park last Thursday, this tie is perfectly poised ahead of the return leg in Northern France.
There was never likely to be very much between the pair, given that most would agree they are the best two left in the Europa Conference League, and the tie is one a knife-edge ahead of this clash in Villeneuve-d’Ascq.
Aston Villa broke the deadlock early a week ago, Ollie Watkins on target yet again, before John McGinn doubled the home side’s lead, firing home from the edge of the area following a well-worked corner.
However, after that, attempting to see out the victory, Unai Emery’s side sat back and paid the price.
The Villans survived an initial scare when Gabriel Guðmundsson’s header was ruled out for a very marginal offside, before Bafodé Diakité did half the deficit with a header later on, getting Lille right back in the tie.
2-1 it ended at Villa Park, so will that slender advantage prove to be enough for Villa?
The Claret and Blue Army, famously, were European champions in 1982, with this their first continental quarter-final since 1998, having overcome Hibs, Legia Warsaw, Zrinjski Mostar, AZ and then Ajax to get this far.
Emery’s team have won only one of their four Europa Conference League fixtures played outside the UK, although a repeat of the draw they yielded in Amsterdam last month would do nicely.
LOSC Lille meanwhile have reached the last eight of a UEFA tournament for the very first time, beaten in all five previous round of 16 ties prior to hammering Sturm Graz 4-1 on aggregate in March.
Paulo Fonseca’s side were unbeaten in Europe this season prior to the visiting the English Midlands, while les Dogues are also in great form domestically, on course for Champions League qualification in Ligue 1.
Across all competitions, Lille have won 15 of 20 home matches during this campaign, unbeaten in 15 dating back to September, so can they pull off a comeback at Stade Pierre-Mauroy?
Aston Villa to qualify and both teams to score
We are backing Aston Villa to get the job done here, even if they may require extra time to do so.
The Claret and Blue Army were so impressive in victory at Arsenal on Sunday, moving into pole position, three points ahead of Tottenham, in the race for Champions League qualification.
As a manager, Unai Emery has won each of his lat 24 two-legged ties in Europa-based competition, his most-recent such defeat coming as Valencia boss against Atlético Madrid in 2012.
Lille are in excellent form at home, so it won’t be easy, but we see Villa prevailing.
In terms of both teams to score, this has been the case in 62.5% of Villa’s matches this season, including six of their last nine in Europe.
Meanwhile, les Dogues have scored at least once in all 20 home matches this season, netting 50 times in total.
Ollie Watkins to score anytime
Ollie Watkins secured the win at Arsenal on Sunday, bagging his 26th of the season already.
The England intentional striker broke the deadlock in the first leg, his seventh in the Europa Conference League, so we’re forecasting that he’ll add to both tallies at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
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