Emery's Aston Villa Seek European Glory Against French Foes

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has his sights set on adding another European trophy to his impressive collection as his side prepares for the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final tie against French Ligue 1 club Lille.

Villa take a narrow 2-1 lead into the return fixture in France following last week’s gutsy first leg victory at Villa Park. Ollie Watkins’ first-half header and a spectacular long-range strike from John McGinn gave the hosts a commanding 2-0 advantage, only for Bafode Diakite to halve the deficit late on for Lille with an important away goal.

Despite that late setback, Emery’s men will be brimming with confidence after their morale-boosting 2-0 Premier League win at Arsenal on Sunday. A first victory at the Emirates Stadium in 32 years sets them up perfectly for their European quarter-final second leg showdown on foreign soil.

The former Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal boss has an incredible reputation in UEFA’s secondary club competitions, having lifted an astonishing four Europa League titles during his time in Andalusia. His nous and big-game experience on the continent could prove invaluable as Villa attempt to reach the Europa Conference League semi-finals.

However, Emery is all too aware of the difficult task facing his players against last season’s Ligue 1 champions. Lille enjoyed a 24-day rest between their first and second leg ties due to the international break, giving them ample time to recharge ahead of this crunch European encounter.

Under the tutelage of Paulo Fonseca, Les Dogues have performed admirably on their return to the French top-flight following relegation in 2021/22. They currently occupy the final Champions League qualification spot in fourth place, just two points behind Monaco in third with a game in hand.

Lille have been exceptionally strong at home too, losing just one Ligue 1 game all season at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Their impressive defensive record on home turf – just 14 goals conceded in 17 outings – suggests Villa have a real battle on their hands to preserve their slender advantage from the opening leg.

Emery has overseen a dramatic turnaround in Villa’s fortunes since succeeding Steven Gerrard in late October. They were floundering in 16th place at the time of his appointment but now find themselves firmly in the hunt for European qualification via the Premier League too.

A top six finish would secure Villa’s return to continental competition for the first time since 2010/11, reaffirming the progress being made under the Spaniard’s expert guidance. But first, he must plot Lille’s downfall in order to keep their dreams of Europa Conference League glory alive.

Victory over two legs would see Villa advance to the last four, leaving them just two ties away from capping a remarkable campaign by lifting the inaugural edition of UEFA’s tertiary club tournament in Prague on June 7th. It would also go a long way to cementing Emery’s status as a master of European knockout football.