Lille v Aston Villa: Europa League predicted line-up, team news and match preview

Aston Villa kick off their Europa League knock-out phase campaign with a trip to Lille in the round of 16.

Villa beat Lille over two legs in the Conference League a couple of seasons ago and return to northern France for a Europa League tie against a team in form in Ligue 1.

Manager Unai Emery is the Europa League master but Villa are heading over the Channel in poor shape after humiliating Premier League losses against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea.

Villa enter the realm of fine margins

Faltering league form is souring the mood among supporters but the Europa League is a chance to find a new groove and boost Villa’s Champions League chances.

I’m always sceptical of the idea that cup football can be a welcome distraction from problems in the league but Villa have already used a European win as a springboard out of bad results this season.

2025-26 is about to get real. There’s no room left for error in the league and the European squeeze is on. Knock-out football is a high-stakes game and losing either leg of a tie could be very bad news.

Leaving Lille with a win in their back pocket would be just the ticket for Villa, allowing them to maximise home advantage – home advantage they had to earn – in the second leg. Losing would make things difficult and Lille’s recent results are rather better than the ones Villa have been putting on the board in this calendar year so far.

They’re unbeaten in five in the league but are nothing if not streaky. They started 2026 with consecutive defeats against Rennes, Paris Saint-Germain, Strasbourg and Lyon.

Villa team news

Emery might be able to welcome back captain John McGinn, who is expected to return from injury imminently, and Matty Cash isn’t believed to be out for long with the calf injury that cut short his appearance against Chelsea.

Fellow right-back Andrés García is still absent through injury. Midfielder Youri Tielemans remains sidelined, while Boubacar Kamara is done for the season after having knee surgery.

After a minor injury, loanee Harvey Elliott‘s exact status isn’t known publicly, for what it’s worth.

Villa predicted line-up v Lille

I’m not even going to pretend I have the first clue what Emery has planned for this fixture or indeed the second leg that follows. My guess is that Cash won’t be risked but there’s not a great deal of flexibility on offer elsewhere.

I’m expecting to see Jadon Sancho from the start before he misses out against parent club Manchester United on Sunday, and I think there’s a chance Alysson is included from the start along with Tammy Abraham as Emery looks to rejuvenate the front line.

Suffice to say I wouldn’t be making that prediction for a Premier League fixture.

Where to watch Lille v Villa

Villa’s away game against Lille will be available to watch on TNT Sports 1.

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➡️ How to watch Lille v Aston Villa in the UK: Europa League kick-off time, TV channels and streams

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