The UEFA Europa League Round of 16 has arrived as Aston Villa will travel to France to take on Lille on Thursday.
Lille disposed of Red Star Belgrade in the playoff round to advance, while Aston Villa automatically qualified for this stage of the tournament after finishing second in the League Phase.
Aston Villa are slight +145 favorites on the moneyline, while a draw is available at +240. Fancy a Lille win? They are +195 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Lille vs. Aston Villa Prediction, Pick
For this bet to hit, we need Aston Villa to win. If the game ends in a draw, the bet will void.
Aston Villa were dominant in the League Phase of this competition, winning seven of their eight games to finish second in the table. The Villans won three of their four road games to get to this stage. Villa are currently fourth in the Premier League, battling with the likes of Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool for a place in next season’s Champions League. If they don’t qualify through their league position, winning this tournament is another way to achieve that. Based on their League Phase record, I wouldn’t put it past them.
On the flip side, Lille were very average, winning four and losing four of their eight games. They needed a 2-0 away win against Red Star Belgrade in the second leg of the playoff round to overturn a 1-0 home loss in the first leg. In total, they have won three of their home games, losing twice. They sit in sixth place in Ligue 1 at the moment.
These teams last met up in the 2024 Conference League quarterfinals, and it was Aston Villa who advanced in a penalty shootout. Expect the Villans to advance once again, and I think they will likely win the first leg of this Round of 16 matchup.
