Aston Villa

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We asked for your views on Aston Villa's 2-0 win over Lille, and their progression into the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

Here are some of your comments:

Matt: At last, Abraham for Watkins. When Ollie came on he looked fresh, good assist. Villa slowly turning a very difficult corner. The next European game is massive for us. To be honest, I'll take the cup right now and I don't care what happens in the league. UTV.

Martin: Brilliant performance from everyone on the pitch. Sancho started taking on defenders with pace and lifted the tempo with his skills. When Watkins came on, a lot more runs were made and we felt more calm on the ball. The first goal was a moment of class from the man in goal (Martinez) as he played it about four-fifths of the pitch to Sancho, who skilled his man then played it across for super John McGinn. A tactical masterclass from Emery as he knew we should hit them on the counter whilst keeping the ball and slowing the game down. This is yet another building block and now we need to get back to winning form. Come on the Villans!

Rob: To be honest, it was a walk in the park. Even at 0-0 there was no real jeopardy. If only we could transfer these European performances to the Premier League.

Ali: Better performance than of late but I don't understand rating of Jadon Sancho? He gave the ball away five times and let it run out of play, before setting up McGinn's goal. He is such a weakness in the team.

James: The result was all that mattered. Villa have stuttered in the league recently so this result was vitally important. With Emery's past successes in this competition Villa fans can actually start to dream a little. This could prove an easier route into next season's CL with the likes of Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool all threatening to overhaul Villa in the league.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has named his 35-man squad for the two friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in March.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion).

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur).

There are 13 players involved who weren't in the last squad back in November, while there's a first senior call-up for Everton midfielder James Garner and Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Europa League quarter-finalists Aston Villa's financial position has left them struggling to compete in the transfer market.

Two years ago, when they reached the Champions League, they had to sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42.5m to balance the books. Last summer academy graduate Jacob Ramsey joined Newcastle for £40m.

Returning to the Champions League will solve many financial headaches for Villa and potentially allow them to spend and strengthen.

The club feel adhering to the Premier League and Uefa financial rules is unfair. They agree there needs to be regulation but believe the regulations do not work alongside each other.

England's top-flight clubs have voted to move to a system called squad cost ratio (SCR) next season.

This allows teams to spend 85% of their income on player costs, although a complicated set of factors means clubs could go as high as 115%.

Uefa's SCR spending limit is 70%, which all clubs in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League must adhere to.

European football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live: "They need Champions League football next season. They need that money to balance the books.

"We know the restrictions are there financially. They need that money or they will have to sell players.

"It's crucial for them - whether they do it by winning the Europa League or finishing top five in the Premier League, right now they can't prioritise one over the other.

"They have to go for both at full strength to hope that one of them pays off and they make it. If they don't make it the summer could be difficult for them."

In this week's edition of the Football Interview, Kelly Somers speaks to Brighton midfielder James Milner.

They discuss his journey from joining the Leeds academy to breaking the appearance record in the Premier League at the age of 40.

He talks about the best managers he's played under as well as the highs and lows of his Premier League career which started way back in 2002.

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds

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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaking after their 2-0 win over Lille in the Europa League: "I am happy with how we performed over two matches, how we tried to play seriously, being organised, respecting the opponent.

"[We played] not so brilliant, but being consistent and defending well. When we had our moments to be ruthless we needed it. We needed those two matches to show this competitive way.

"We are focusing all the season through the Premier League, that is the priority. The Europa League is a competition that is very difficult to win, but we have to enjoy the process, enjoying the way, competing, using different players and trying to compete, it can help us find a structure in our squad."

Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans, 28, is ready to reject any offers to leave Aston Villa having been on the radar of several clubs in Saudi Arabia. (Football Insider), external

Borussia Dortmund are interested in re-signing English forward Jadon Sancho. The 25-year-old, on loan at Aston Villa, will be out of contract at parent club Manchester United in June. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Aston Villa's John McGinn, speaking to TNT Sports: "Delighted. It was a slow first half, personally as well trying to get back up to speed. It wasn't a pretty performance, but the main thing is we are in the quarter-final."

On Emi Martinez's pass for his goal and Jadon Sancho's performance: "It was brilliant from Emi, but it highlights Jadon's performance, his best in a Villa shirt. He was man of the match tonight by a mile. The manager was giving me grief before the game to make sure I got in the box, and he gave it to me.

"They defended very well in the first half, but we did go a bit more direct in the second half. The manager tweaked it, and it paid dividends."

On his return from injury: "It is difficult when the team is not doing well, and you're in the physio room. I got over it pretty quickly, I knew it could have been more serious and I just wanted to do my rehab properly. I've made mistakes before, trying to cut corners with rehab, but I didn't do that this time."

On goal targets this season: "I never used to set goal targets, but the manager sets targets on the forward players. I want to try to target 10 goals every season. I've not managed to do that yet, but hopefully this season is the year. It is up on us forward players and wide players to take the pressure off Ollie [Watkins]."

On Emiliano Martinez: "He's a mad man. I know he's a family man, but he is a big kid inside, a lively character and a top goalkeeper, but even at 2-0 he made a great save.

"It was great to get a clean sheet, a good performance and send the Villa fans home happy. Hopefully it is the same on Sunday."

Aston Villa winger Jadon Sancho, speaking to TNT Sports: "It is a lovely feeling [to go through]. Tonight has been incredible with the fans. We struck to the game plan, that's what we needed and, hopefully, we keep that momentum into the Premier League."

On John McGinn being back from injury: "We've missed him a lot. He's a great guy to be around, brings a lot of energy into the changing room. So happy to have him back and happy to assist him today."

On their chances of winning the Europa League: "We have got to take it game by game, it is a tough competition, Europe is very different. We stuck to the game plan, we worked hard on and off the ball. If we keep [doing] this I'm sure we can go very far in this competition."

Did you know?

• Aston Villa have reached the quarter-finals in major European competition in three consecutive seasons, as many times as they'd reached at least this round in their previous 11 such campaigns combined.

• Unai Emery has reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the eighth time, no other manager has done so more than five times. Aston Villa will be the fifth club the Spaniard will take into this round of the competition, after Valencia (twice), Sevilla (three times), Arsenal and Villarreal.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Keeper Emiliano Martinez was serenaded by the Aston Villa fans after his vital contribution.

He turned into Aston Villa's quarterback when he launched a pinpoint pass for Jadon Sancho to run on to and tee up John McGinn.

The Argentina international ran half the length of the field to celebrate with his team-mates before raising his fists towards the North Stand on returning to his goal.

The second-half opener settled Villa's nerves, which were evident around Villa Park during a tepid first half. Villa could have drifted into trouble, but they remained largely in control.

Lille looked to contain them in the first half and then open up to try to level the tie after the break, but it only served to help Villa with gaps appearing for McGinn, and then Leon Bailey late on, to score.

Even when they were left chasing the game at 2-0 down on aggregate, the French side did not have the necessary class to worry Villa.

The second goal added gloss to a performance which again lacked quality and energy. Villa did what they needed to do to get the job done, but still need to improve - both in the Premier League and Europe.

Yet they can still produce one-off moments, like Martinez did, to lift them and ensure their Europa League dream remains alive.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

What did you make of Aston Villa's display?

Come back on Friday for a selection of your replies

Tammy Abraham starts ahead of Ollie Watkins as Aston Villa look to reach the Europa League quarter-finals.

Victor Lindelof also makes his first start for over a month in defence with boss Unai Emery making six changes from Sunday's defeat at Manchester United.

Jadon Sancho, Ian Maatsen, Pau Torres and Douglas Luiz return.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Bogarde, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Luiz, Onana, McGinn, Rogers, Sancho, Abraham.

Subs: Bizot, Wright, Mings, Konsa, Digne Cash, Garcia, Elliott, Buendia, Bailey, Watkins.

Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud starts for Lille as they look to overcome their first-leg deficit.

Ex-Tottenham and Newcastle midfielder Nabil Bentaleb is also in for the French side, who are fifth in Ligue 1.

Lille XI: Ozer, Ngoy, Alexsandro, Mbemba, Perraud, Bouaddi, Bentalab, Mukau, Meunier, Giroud, Correia.

Subs: Bodart, Lanssade, Fernandez-Pardo, Haraldsson, Edjouma, Tiago Santos, Mandi, Verdonk, Diaoune, Baret, Boussadia.

There are seven games in the Europa League on Thursday as the last 16 concludes, and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Freiburg v Genk (17:45)

• Midtjylland v Nottingham Forest (17:45)

• Lyon v Celta Vigo (17:45)

• Aston Villa v Lille - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Porto v Stuttgart

• Real Betis v Panathinaikos

• Roma v Bologna

Kick-off times 20:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Aston Villa v Lille".

Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds

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We are getting to the stage of the season where every Premier League team is managing injuries in their squad as the sheer volume and intensity of games begins to take its toll.

But who has been most affected by injuries across the campaign so far?

Ben Dinnery, from Premier Injuries Limited, has provided the data below, showing the number of domestic injuries each top-flight team has suffered, defined by a player missing at least one Premier League game.

The data has been taken from the opening weekend up to and including 18 March.

Despite this table listing domestic injuries, it is unsurprising that the top three of Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa have all competed in European competition, with the Gunners still fighting on four fronts and the Blues also coming off the back of a much-shortened pre-season following their Club World Cup victory.

Perhaps more surprisingly, however, is the fact Arsenal's 31 domestic injuries so far comfortably leads the way, illustrating the strength and depth available to Mikel Arteta to still have his side nine points clear at the top of the table.

The graphic below shows Tottenham lead the way for days missed by injured players, illustrating the issues faced by Thomas Frank, who had to cope with long-term absentees including Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.

Both West Ham and Brentford are in the bottom three for domestic injuries and days missed through those injuries, while Arsenal and Villa are in the top three for both.

Chelsea drop down the table when looking at days missed, showing they have predominately suffered from short absences spread throughout the squad.

It is worth pointing out that Newcastle's two longest absences this season - Emil Krafth (120 days) and Yoane Wissa (88 days), who had not yet even trained with his new side, resulted from injuries picked up on international duty and are not factored into the figures.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Unai Emery was distracted by the translator at his pre-match news conference on Thursday.

The Aston Villa manager answered the first question before stopping and asking if the door could be closed.

The translator, for French journalists, was speaking too loudly from the other room at Bodymoor Heath's media centre and Emery could not focus during his 10 minutes with the press.

With the news conference restarting, and the promise from the translator to talk more quietly, Emery continued and finished.

It was another unwanted interruption before a game which could define Villa's rapidly stuttering season.

Victory over Lille in Birmingham - with Villa already holding a 1-0 first-leg lead - would push them into the Europa League quarter finals against either Bologna or Roma.

It would be the tonic for the faltering Premier League season, with Villa fortunate to remain in the top four after two wins from 10.

Only the inconsistencies of Chelsea and Liverpool have kept Villa's Champions League hopes - via the league - intact. They should recognise how lucky they are.

Victory in the Europa League is, of course, another route to the European elite, which is why Thursday can hold the key to rescuing the season.

Skipper John McGinn's return after a knee injury will only help and Youri Tielemans is expected to be fit after the international break following an ankle problem.

His return to fitness cannot come soon enough. Villa need reinforcements as they look to navigate another tricky European tie.