Aston Villa close to Europa League quarter-finals

March 13, 2026 / 11:22 AM

Sharjah 24: Aston Villa took a significant step towards qualifying for the Europa League quarter-finals with a 1-0 away win against Lille. Meanwhile, Roma returned to the Italian capital after a 1-1 draw with Bologna in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

In France, Ollie Watkins' 61st-minute header gave Aston Villa the lead and put them in a strong position to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

Winning the title

Aston Villa are considered the favourites to win the title, especially with Spanish coach Unai Emery at the helm. Emery is the most successful manager in the competition's history, having won it a record four times (three consecutive titles with Sevilla and one with Villarreal, in addition to reaching the final with Arsenal).

Villa will be hoping this victory will mark a return to form, after the 1982 European Cup winners entered their match against Lille on the back of a four-game winless streak.

The run began with a 3-1 defeat to Newcastle in the FA Cup, followed by a 1-1 draw with Leeds, and then losses to Wolverhampton (2-0) and Chelsea (4-1) in the Premier League. This run has seen them drop to fourth place, behind Manchester United on goal difference, whom they will face next on Sunday at Old Trafford.

If they manage to build on the first-leg result, Villa will likely face Roma in the quarter-finals, who themselves secured a good result away at Bologna with a 1-1 draw.