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Following the drama of the UEFA Champions League Last 16 matches on Tuesday and Wednesday, we move to a thrilling Thursday. The Europa League takes centre stage, with seven fixtures broadcast live on television. Followers enjoy some mouthwatering ties, including Midtjylland v Nottingham Forest, Porto v Stuttgart, and Roma v Bologna.
On this page, we focus on the match in Birmingham, where Aston Villa take on Lille in an England v France shootout. Villa hold a narrow aggregate advantage, following a hard-fought 1-0 win last week. Will Unai Emery's team build on that lead or aim to protect it and progress on what will be a nervy evening at Villa Park? Fans can't wait to find out.
The head-to-head stats available on the Flashscore app show Aston Villa and Lille have met five times previously. Villa enter with two wins, with the visitors hoping to build on a pair of victories and a draw. Which side will progress to the next phase, keeping their Europa League dreams alive? Flashscore's Frank Monkhouse offers his three big match predictions.
Aston Villa v Lille tips
Aston Villa win @ 13/20 (bet365)
Abraham to score @ 5/4 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Match winner - Aston Villa
We find Aston Villa in the thick of a battle for a top-four finish in the Premier League. The locals sit fourth in the top flight, which would be good enough for a spot in next season's Champions League. Will Emery and his coaching staff view Thursday as a distraction or a chance to win following a three-match losing streak in the Premier League?
Aston Villa lost 3-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, and play a home game against a dangerous West Ham side this weekend. They did beat Lille 1-0 last week, with Watkins getting the goal that mattered on the hour mark. The stats from that first leg show Villa had 51.2% of the possession and two more shots than their opponents. The margin of victory could've been greater, with Villa registering just one shot on target from nine attempts. Better is expected.
Aston Villa's league form has dipped in the spring, but they won without too much fuss in France and will build on that. Add a home cheer to your Thursday evening accumulators, and you'll profit if the locals claim back-to-back wins over Bruno Genesio's visitors.
Tip: Aston Villa win @ 13/20 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You need Aston Villa to beat Lille on Thursday evening to secure a profit.
Totals - over 1.5 goals
Our second bet is another with odds best suited to midweek multiples, such as accumulators or Bet Builders. We're backing Thursday's match to produce two or more goals from both teams combined. With this approach, the match-winner, first scorer and winning margin aren't important. You simply need more than one goal scored to boost your betting balance.
Although this approach would've failed in the first leg, I'm expecting a more favourable result in the rematch. The locals have the quality to create chances and score goals, but they must also protect their lead. Lille arrive with nothing to lose. They won't throw caution to the wind, but understand they must score to stay in it. The earlier they find the net, the better for Lille.
Aston Villa have been involved in their fair share of high-scoring games of late. They lost 3-1 at Manchester United and 4-1 when hosting Chelsea in their two league games this month. The Villains also beat Red Bull Salzburg in their last home match in this competition. Lille beat Rennes 2-1 away from home on Sunday, and won 2-0 in Belgrade in this tournament.
Tip: Over 1.5 goals @ 2/7 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Aston Villa v Lille must produce more than one goal.
Anytime scorer - Abraham
Our third and final prediction in Birmingham has the most attractive odds attached. We're backing Aston Villa's Tammy Abraham to score at least one goal past Lille. When trusting this pick, the winning team doesn't impact your wager. All you're interested in is the England forward Abraham finding the net. An early goal pays the same as a late strike.
Abraham is a 28-year-old striker with experience playing in Europe with Chelsea, Roma, AC Milan, Besiktas, and Aston Villa. He has scored two goals in England so far this year, with both coming at this venue. Abraham netted in a 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Newcastle United, and followed it with a strike against Leeds in a 1-1 draw. He's a great price to build on that here.
The latest player stats at Flashscore show Abraham featured regularly for Besiktas in the Europa League and Conference League this season. He scored against Shakhtar and banked four goals against St Patrick's. Abraham came off the bench in France, but Emery could start him on Thursday with one eye on Sunday's meeting with the Hammers.
Tip: Abraham to score @ 5/4 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Tammy Abraham must find the net against Lille in this second leg.
Aston Villa v Lille odds
Aston Villa win @ 13/20 (bet365)
Discover the Best Betting Bonuses
If you're looking to take advantage of this week's Europa League matches for your bets, Flashscore is here to help. On our betting bonuses page, you'll find some of the best promotions and bonus codes on the market.
The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.