Aston Villa winger Moussa Diaby has spoken to a former Lille player ahead of his side’s Europa Conference League second leg this evening.
Unai Emery’s side take a slender lead to northern France after last week’s eventful clash in the West Midlands.
Goals from Ollie Watkins and John McGinn saw the Villans into a commanding 2-0 lead. However, a late Bafodé Diakité header saw the deficit halved.
It was hard to begrudge Paulo Fonseca’s side getting a goal back. The Ligue 1 giants caused issues throughout and were more than deserving of their goal.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the Lille boss highlighted the importance of an early goal for his side. “We will have to score quickly but also not concede goals. It is a dangerous match against a very strong team,” he explained.
“We will have to play a balanced match, even if we will also have to take risks. There will be no room for mistakes. We must first defend well before attacking.”
What has Moussa Diaby said ahead of Aston Villa v Lille this evening?
Diaby has also been speaking ahead of Thursday’s Europa Conference League clash. The Frenchman has been in and out the side of late.
He started Sunday’s brilliant 2-0 win over Arsenal but only featured for 16 minutes in the first leg against Fonesca’s men.
Fans have seen glimpses of what the 24-year-old is capable of, but consistency is still an issue for the former Bayer Leverkusen star.
During his media duties, Diaby revealed that he has picked the brains of Lucas Digne, who came through the ranks at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
“It’s true that he started here in Lille, and he knows that it’s going to be a complicated game here tomorrow,” he explained.
“We saw in the first leg that Lille are a very good team and they’ve got a great coach.”
Digne – once hailed as “fantastic” by Steven Gerrard – has recently become a regular feature in Emery’s starting XI. Diaby explained that the Frenchman would be eager to get one over on his old club despite having good memories of his time in northern France.
“They’re going to have their fans behind them, and they really want to win,” he added. “I had a chat with Lucas and he has good memories of this club.”
Aston Villa face tough task against Lille this evening
Aston Villa should be under no illusions regarding the size of the task in front of them this evening. They are facing a side that’s imperious at home, having not lost on their own patch for over seven months.
A European semi-final is a tantalising prospect and something that should become a regular occurrence; to become one of England’s elite requires European pedigree.
Sunday’s win over Arsenal was the perfect preparation, and Emery will be delighted. Diego Carlos and Pau Torres dealt with the Gunners’ intense press brilliantly. A repeat performance this evening is non-negotiable.
