Aston Villa

There are four Premier League games on Sunday, and we will bring you every moment.

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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on singer-songwriter and Arsenal fan Sam Tompkins.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Aston Villa's battle with Tottenham for fourth place is one to keep an eye on and Unai Emery's side could take another big step towards Champions League qualification here.

Bournemouth drew 2-2 with Villa earlier in the season and I am expecting another close game this time but, after what they did to Arsenal last week, I cannot back against Villa.

Confidence must be through the roof for Unai Emery's side, and they have home advantage too. Bournemouth are a good team who have proved me wrong this season, but Villa will create enough chances to win.

Sam's prediction: 3-0

Dominic Solanke is class for Bournemouth - what a striker he is - but Villa are winning this and I can see them getting a top-four finish too.

Read the rest of their predictions here

Richard Sutherland
Fan writer

As an Aston Villa supporter who was one the last time the club reached a European semi-final, I can reflect and say Thursday night in France felt like a truly historical night for the club.

The performance against Lille may not have been pretty but the sheer determination and character the team showed to drag themselves back into the game, play 120 minutes and come through victorious following the most dramatic of penalty shoot-outs, just epitomises the character of this team.

Off the back of what, for many, was the best performance of the season in beating Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, the display against Lille was a complete contrast. But in Emi Martinez we have a truly world class goalkeeper and we all love his antics!

Whatever happens this season it has been fantastic, but if we could round it off with a trophy and Champions League qualification it would potentially be the best season in Aston Villa's history.

Now onto Bournemouth at home on Sunday where hopefully we don't get brought back down to Earth.

Richard Sutherland can be found at The Villa Park Podcast, external

Here are the key facts and figures before Aston Villa host Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday (15:00 BST).

• Bournemouth have won four of their seven Premier League meetings with Aston Villa (D1 L2); of sides they’ve faced at least five times, only against Swansea (67%) do they have a higher win rate than they do against the Villains (57%).

• Aston Villa have recorded 63 points so far in the Premier League this season, already surpassing their final points tally in each of their past 10 top-flight campaigns; only in 1992-93 (74 in 42 games) and 2009-10 (64) have the Villains won more points by the end of the season.

• Since November 11th, only the Premier League’s top four teams have won more points than Bournemouth (36 – W10 D6 L5).

• Aston Villa have 19 Premier League wins this season, only winning 20+ in one previous season (21 in 1992-93). In a 38-game top-flight season, Villa last won 20 games back in 1989-90 under Graham Taylor (21), finishing 2nd.

• Dominic Solanke has netted 17 Premier League goals this season, the most ever by a Bournemouth player in a top-flight campaign. His eight away goals are also the most by a player since Callum Wilson in 2018-19 (nine).

• Ollie Watkins has scored 19 Premier League goals and assisted 10 times for Aston Villa this season. A goal in this match will see him become just the third English player to score 20 or more goals and assist 10 or more goals in a 38-game season, along with Frank Lampard in 2009-10 (22 goals, 14 assists) and Harry Kane in 2020-21 (23 goals, 14 assists).

Listen to the full match commentary on BBC Radio Solent (UK only)

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Remember when England was in a great position to secure a fifth place in the Champions League next season?

That possibility suffered a significant blow this week with clubs from the country exiting a host of European competitions. Their exits damaged the points tally England had amassed in Uefa's co-efficient rankings.

As a result, there is now a 1.1% chance that a fifth-qualifying place materialises.

Watch BBC Sport's Ben Croucher explain more in our clip.

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez will be suspended for the first leg of the their Europa Conference League semi-final against Olympiakos on Thursday 2 May.

The Argentinian stopper was shown two yellow cards in the penalty shootout win over Lille in the quarter-finals. He was carded once in normal time and again during the shootout but was not sent off due to Uefa rules.

Villa won the tie 4-3 on penalties, after the sides were locked at 3-3 after two legs, and extra time in France.

The yellow card Martinez received during the shootout took his tally of cautions in the competition to three, meaning he will miss the semi-final first leg at Villa Park.

He will be available for the second leg a week later.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Aston Villa goalkeeper and 1982 European Cup winner Nigel Spink has been talking about Unai Emery's side making the Europa Conference League final four on BBC Radio 5 Live. It is the first time Villa have reached the semi-final of any European competition since that historic victory 42 years ago.

"When you get to the knockouts in cup competitions, it is the result that counts," Spink said. "It was a leggy performance. They had a difficult game on Sunday against Arsenal at the Emirates, which they came through and won well.

"As a team, they just looked like they were not quite 100%, the pace of the game wasn't as high as they have played recently. So I'm just grateful that they could drag themselves through.

"As dramatic as it is, with penalties, the result is the end game."

Spink praised the "character and belief" the players showed, particularly when Matty Cash got the 87th minute equaliser to take the tie to extra-time, adding: "I think the supporters were probably nervous when Lille went 2-0 up, especially with the way Villa were playing.

"But, the one thing that has happened this season is they have always been able to nick a goal from somewhere, they have got that ability. The pace of the game was lower, which was a bit of a worry when they went behind, but you knew that they could force a goal.

"I think Lille probably went a little bit more defensive, which allowed Villa into the game a little bit more. Their belief came up and they really threw everything at the game in the last 15 minutes."

Image source, PA Media

Unai Emery has reflected on his first 18 months in charge of Aston Villa and said he wants to at least maintain the level at which the club currently operates.

In his first full season in charge, the Spaniard has guided Villa to the last four of the Europa Conference League and to fourth place in the Premier League with five matches left to play.

Emery said: "When I arrived here, in my first press conference I had the same message I have now; play in Europe, try to be a contender for a trophy and be demanding to get a better level every day. The club is being very demanding and ambitious.

"This year, we are in the last month and playing in two competitions; in Europe and in the Premier League trying to fight for a top position in the table.

"This is the level I want to keep."

Villa's next Premier League opponents are Bournemouth, who visit Villa Park on Sunday (15:00 BST kick-off).

Emery said of the Cherries: "They are playing very well and they are very competitive. They demand a lot of the opponent if you want to beat them.

"I appreciate the coach, the players and how they are playing. They are pushing and pushing always."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Aston Villa goalkeeper Nigel Spink has been praising "unbelievable" Emi Martinez as "that character" on BBC Radio 5 Live. Spink was part of the team that claimed Aston Villa's last European trophy back in 1982.

"He is unbelievable, isn't he? His antics - I heard someone mention Bruce Grobbelaar earlier and he is exactly the same. He is that character," Spink said. "But, when you take away all of those antics, he is a fantastic goalkeeper.

"He is arguably the world's number one goalkeeper at the moment, but he has got that added extrovert character that comes out in these situations.

"These are the situations where I always used to think that the goalkeeper has the edge. There is no pressure on a goalkeeper, and you should score from 12 yards, but he makes it that much more difficult for a penalty taker with his antics."

The former shot-stopper also explained how penalty shootouts have changed since his time on the pitch: "When I was coaching in the Premier League, we used to do penalty strategies where we would have a history of penalty takers and which way they would go, the different heights, all sorts.

"But from a goalkeeper's perspective, back in the day, we weren't allowed to move on the line. We had to stand still and we had to move at the last second. Nowadays, they can move along the line, pull funny faces and do whatever they want.

"So it is completely different - it is totally different.

"Emi Martinez will have worked with a goalkeeping coach and he will have known all of their penalty takers, their favoured sides and whether they go high or low - he would have had all of that information before they had even started the game."

Joe Nelson
BBC Sport journalist

If you asked Aston Villa fans which goalkeeper on the planet they would want in their penalty shootout against Lille on Thursday, Emiliano Martinez would have been the overwhelming favourite.

Renowned for his gamesmanship and unorthodox celebrations, the Argentina international once again had a telling impact for his side, as Unai Emery's team reached the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.

Martinez makes the difference in penalty shootouts. As you'll see below, the stats don't lie.

We asked you for your thoughts on Aston Villa's Europa Conference League quarter-final win over Lille.

Here are some of your comments:

Greg: We didn't do that the easy way, did we?! Credit to Lille, it was a fantastic two-legged tie! I learnt something new with the yellow card carryover, but is there anyone else you would take in goal over Martinez in a penalty shootout? Love him or hate him, the man is a wall.

Gareth: Villa were punished for conceding last week. Lille are a brilliant team and we did amazingly well to keep ourselves in the game and get the goal. Like Manchester City, the better team were knocked out. But games like this are decided by fine margins and there is nobody better to get us over the line than the one and only, the true saviour, Emi Martinez!

Josh: What an awful game for Villa. We didn't turn up until we went 2-0 down. Diaby was pointless and Watkins was anonymous. So disappointing. Thankfully someone stepped up and we got lucky.

Claude: As a Lille fan, I was so disappointed that we had the goal and conceded so late. Lille didn't defend enough and didn't make the most of their chances.

Matt: A magnificent season for the football club. It is truly satisfying to see brilliant back-to-back results in high pressure games against Arsenal and Lille, when it mattered most. Emery, the staff and the players have the fans bursting with pride. We are on the cusp of achieving something great. Keep it going lads.

Image source, Reuters

Emiliano Martinez's penalty-saving prowess was "already in the Lille players' minds' before the French club lost to Aston Villa in their Europa Conference League quarter-final shootout on Thursday, said French football journalist Julien Laurens.

Goalkeeper Martinez, who starred in Argentina's World Cup final shootout victory over France in December 2022, saved two spot-kicks to send Villa through to a last-four tie against Greek side Olympiakos.

Laurens told the BBC's Football Daily podcast: "I think he's won the penalty shootout before the first penalty taker went forward anyway.

"He's already into the Lille players' minds because they all remember what happened at the World Cup. Villa had won the penalty shootout before the first penalty was even shot."

Matty Cash's late goal took the tie to extra time, before Martinez took centre stage in the shootout to send Villa into a major European semi-final for the first time since 1982.

Laurens added: "It hasn't been easy for them. [On Thursday] they were outplayed I thought for pretty much the whole game, but they scored a goal that took them to extra time and then Martinez did the job - that's football.

"For Villa, the adventure continues. I don't know if they can go in the two competitions - in the league to finish in the top four and also this incredible run in Europe - but at the moment they're still there, so well done to them."

Listen to more reaction on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Unai Emery says goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez "has a brilliant mentality" and he "is very proud" of his performance in the Europa Conference League quarter-final.

In an extraordinary shootout after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate after extra time, Martinez - who had been booked earlier for time-wasting - was shown another yellow card for appearing to gesture to home fans.

Martinez, who had already kept out Nabil Bentaleb's attempt, was allowed to carry on as his initial booking was not carried over into the shootout.

The Argentina World Cup winner then went on to keep out Benjamin Andre's attempt as Villa won 4-3 on penalties to advance to the last four.

"He is very important for us," said Emery. "He has his personality and his personality in the dressing room is very important because he is a leader with all his experiences. He has a really brilliant mentality.

"And then on the pitch he has his personality and he played fantastic. He saved two penalty shots, so of course I am very proud of him. I am very proud of all the players."

On whether he and his players thought Martinez had been sent off in the shoot out, Emery added "yes, but the rules are like that.

"Yesterday you [the media] were all asking about me about the reception he will get here in France and you could see it throughout the game. He is very experienced and he was trying to control his emotions but the supporters were pushing him. I believe in him and he is mature but with personality. He is always under his own control."

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Reuters

Life is never dull when Emiliano Martinez is around and so it proved once again as the Aston Villa keeper took centre stage in his side's chaotic penalty shootout win over Lille.

Martinez received a yellow card from the referee in the middle of the shootout, having already been booked in normal time.

Yet the Argentina World Cup winner was allowed to stay on the pitch and help his side reach the Europa Conference League semi-finals as bookings are not carried forward into the shootout.

And so Villa march on in Europe.

The Europa Conference League might be Uefa's third-tier club competition behind the Champions League and Europa League.

But Unai Emery's players are embracing the journey and now find themselves just two games from the final in Athens on 29 May.

All this while trying to stay ahead of Tottenham in the race for fourth spot in the Premier League.

Will Villa qualify for next season's Champions League AND secure a European trophy?

To be continued.

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery on what reaching the Europa Conference semi-finals means: "Of course as coaches we can try and use our experiences to help in every match. Here in Lille, it was a difficult match against a difficult team. They are very organised and very competitive so they were very focused. But we did it!

"I try to understand each moment on the pitch and not get frustrated. They were better than us in the first half but then we scored a goal.

"With penalties it is just about keeping calm and that is what I was saying to the players. I think in the end it was fantastic."

Aston Villa reached their first major European semi-final since 1982 after a chaotic penalty shootout victory over Lille in the Europa Conference League.

In an extraordinary shootout after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate after extra time, Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez - who had been booked earlier for time-wasting - was shown another yellow card for appearing to gesture to home fans.

Martinez, who had already kept out Nabil Bentaleb's attempt, was allowed to carry on as his initial booking was not carried over into the shootout.

The Argentina World Cup winner then went on to keep out Benjamin Andre's attempt as Villa won 4-3 on penalties to advance to the last four.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Villa fans - Let us know your thoughts on the game

Follow all of the reaction here

There are three Premier League sides involved in European matches on Thursday, and we will bring you every moment.

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Listen to full match commentary of Atalanta v Liverpool at 20:00 on BBC Radio 5 Live

Nick Mashiter
Senior football news reporter

In the last official semi-final Aston Villa played in Europe it was Lille who prevailed.

Dion Dublin, Peter Crouch, Gareth Barry, Darius Vassell et al had their hopes dashed with a 3-1 aggregate defeat.

The Intertoto Cup in the August before the start of the 2002-03 season will not carry much weight historically but, now, the Ligue 1 side stand in the way of Villa reaching the last four of the Europa Conference League on Thursday.

Joking aside, it would be a first major European semi-final since 1982 – when they won the European Cup.

A slender 2-1 advantage from last week's first leg keeps Villa in the ascendancy - but only just.

Lille dangerman Jonathan David said the hosts need to be more astute if they are to progress.

He was disappointed with his side's wastefulness at Villa Park and that edge would have given the Premier League team an even sterner test against a side who have won 10 of their 14 Ligue 1 home games.

Lille have not lost at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy since September, their only home defeat this term, and while Villa remain favourites to win the competition, Thursday will test that theory.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Aston Villa's Europa Conference League quarter-final second leg against Lille on Thursday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Left-back Alex Moreno has sustained a small calf injury and will be out for two to three weeks.

• Emery said the first-leg win was "not enough" as Lille showed their "mentality, focus and intelligent football" at Villa Park.

• On it being in Villa's hands: "We have to enjoy what will be a massive match. It will be very demanding but we are motivated and aware of the difficulties that we will face. We are ready."

• He said defending set pieces will be crucial for progressing to the semi-final and added "we will have to use our power and be ready for them".

• On the Arsenal victory providing his team with momentum, he said: "Of course it was a very good result for us in the Premier League, but we are trying to separate the competitions. Our motivation in the league is trying to get a Europa position so we have to enjoy it."

• He said he has drawn from his "many years" experience in Europe to help his players who have never played in the competition.

• On the possibility of Emiliano Martinez having a frosty reception after winning the World Cup with Argentina at the expense of France, Emery said: "We have to be ready for the pressure from their supporters and we have to manage our emotions. Martinez is very important to us and very recognised in world football. We will protect him."

• He said forward Ollie Watkins "is very demanding on himself" and has started to produce consistent performances this season because "he is comfortable".

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

At last, he said it - "Day 33. Now we can feel contenders to be in the top five."

It is a mere footnote to the eventual outcome, but on Sunday evening Unai Emery finally accepted the notion that his team are serious players in the race for a Champions League place.

Questioned about it nearly every week as Villa climbed the table before Christmas, Emery insisted that at least seven clubs were more strongly-placed to qualify for Europe next season, and that only if Villa were still that high at matchday "30 or 32" could the idea be seriously entertained. After arguably his team's most accomplished performance so far – among quite a few to choose from – there was no point denying it any more.

Not that it matters anyway - we can see the league table for ourselves. Almost all managers sometimes claim they never look at the table but are entirely focused on their team's preparation for their next game and making sure the performance is good. I'm sure I've met some managers before now who really can deny the natural human urge to look up how their rivals are doing.

Emery, however, you can imagine actually achieving this. His mental bandwidth already filled to capacity as he studies the game from the technical area. And beforehand too. Ollie Watkins tells us that Emery held three team meetings on the day of the Arsenal game itself "to drill in what we need to do".

Villa's perfect weekend – their win following Tottenham's defeat making for a momentum swing – may also pull up their European form again too. Villa are heading to France with a 2-1 lead over Lille, after what seemed an oddly deflating win at home last Thursday. They had led 2-0, but Lille might easily have scored more and they served notice on Villa that they were their toughest opponents so far.

Given a bigger advantage, Emery could have taken a chance to rest some of his top-liners, but he may find there is no better antidote to tiredness than the winning feeling they had at Arsenal.

Perhaps he will have to consult his sports scientist's data even more closely before selecting his team for Thursday - for which player, after experiencing the adrenaline rush at the Emirates Stadium, would volunteer to take a rest and miss out on a single minute?

Lille v Aston Villa – live commentary on BBC Radio WM, 17:45 BST on Thursday

BBC Radio WM Football Phone-In, weeknights 18:00 BST

Image source, Getty Images

Lille manager Paulo Fonseca says his side have "no room for mistakes" when they welcome Aston Villa in the second leg of their Europa League quarter final on Thursday evening (17:45 GMT).

Villa have a slender 2-1 advantage from the first leg to protect in northern France and will be boosted by Sunday's impressive 2-0 win away at Arsenal.

"We will have to score quickly but also not concede goals," Fonseca said. "It's a dangerous game against a very strong team.

"We'll have to play a balanced game, even if we'll also have to take risks. There will be no room for mistakes. We'll have to defend well before attacking.

"It's difficult to find weaknesses in a team like Aston Villa. We have to understand how they play, and the game against Arsenal was a great example.

"They defend well to counter-attack. They have no problem defending all the time - they wait for the right moment."

Fonseca's Lille side are fourth in Ligue 1 and have not played since the first leg at Villa Park. Their Portuguese boss is confident that if his side focus on themselves rather than their Premier League opponents they will have enough to turn the tie around.

"We have shown that we can adapt to any opponent," he added. "It will be tactically difficult, but we have prepared well.

"We know them - they also know us. We have prepared for the match to win it."

Aston Villa defender Diego Carlos says he is "stronger" mentally and physically after overcoming serious injury in 2022.

Carlos was voted player of the match in Villa's 2-0 win at Arsenal on Sunday, his 32nd appearance of the season.

Shortly after signing for Villa, Carlos ruptured his Achilles tendon, an injury which saw him only able to play three games in his debut campaign.

But after starring on Sunday, he said: “It’s my second time as Player of the Match and I’m very happy because I work hard every day.

“I’m very happy with this moment because I had a big problem last season. Now, I have a good sensation with my body and I’m feeling confident.

“I came back stronger in my head and in my body. I’m very happy with everything.”

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Borussia Dortmund's magnificent victory against Atletico Madrid was great news for on-loan Manchester United star Jadon Sancho and Marcel Sabitzer, who left Old Trafford after spending the second half of last season on loan with Erik ten Hag's side.

However, it was bad news for England's chances of a fifth Champions League place next term.

Borussia Dortmund gained points for their match victory and a bonus for reaching the semi-final.

Those three co-efficient points are then divided by seven - the number of German teams who played in Europe this season - and added to their total.

It takes Germany onto 17.214, still trailing Italy, who have 18.428, but crucially, clear of England, who have 16.750.

The battle is not over yet but England could really do with Arsenal knocking out Bayern Munich tonight or West Ham reaching the Europa League semi-finals at the expense of Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday.