Emery: Villa will need a repeat of Arsenal game to get past Lille
Unai Emery knows his Aston Villa side will have to be as good as they were against Arsenal if they are to beat Lille in the Europa Conference League quarter-final.
Emery produced a tactical masterclass against his former club in Sunday’s 2-0 win to strengthen their grip on the Premier League top four.
They have travelled to northern France with a 2-1 advantage and have their sights on reaching a first European semi-final since 1982.
But it will be a tough task, with the Ligue 1 side causing them severe problems at Villa Park last week.
Emery said: “We have to play two matches; the first leg we won but it’s not enough.
“We knew before the match it would be very difficult and they showed their capacity, their power and that they’re very motivated for this competition,” he told the club’s official website.
“When we are in Europe we have to be focused and very demanding if we want to get something here. Now is the moment to show our capacity.
“Playing against a team like Lille, they are very motivated and they are a very organised team. The result at Villa Park was not enough for us or for them.
“We have to enjoy an amazing day. We are ready to play and we are aware of the difficulties we are going to face.
“It was a very good result for us in the Premier League but we are trying to separate those competitions.
“Our motivation in the Premier League is to get a European position,” he added.
Villa will be without left-back Alex Moreno, who has a calf injury, but Douglas Luiz returns from his domestic suspension.
“Alex Moreno has a small injury in his calf and he’s going to be out. He’s not available for tomorrow and maybe it will be two or three weeks.” Lille boss Paulo Fonseca, who is perennially linked with jobs in England, said Villa have no obvious weaknesses. “It’s hard to find weak points to this team, really,” he said. “We need to understand the way they play. The Arsenal game was a great example because they defend well, they are very quick and swift. “Their counter-attacks are very fast so we need to figure out what we have to do. They always wait for the right moments to counter.
“It’s one of the best teams in transition in all major championships.”