Aston Villa handed Europa Conference League boost as update emerges over Lille star Angel Gomes
Aston Villa will have their attentions firmly focused on the Premier League currently as they look to make a winning return following the March international break.
Unai Emery’s side face Wolves on Saturday (30 March) as they look to win a first league match in three outings having headed into the break on the back of a draw with West Ham United and a heavy defeat to Tottenham.
But in the not-too-distant future, Villa face a Europa Conference League quarter-final clash with Lille and reports from L’Equipe suggest that the French side could be without one of their key stars when they face Emery’s Villans.
The French outlet reported on Thursday (28 March) that Angel Gomes could be set to miss up to three weeks of action having picked up a hamstring injury, which could well rule him out of both legs against Villa.
Can Unai Emery and Aston Villa win the Europa Conference League?
While Lille have several excellent options at their disposal to face Villa, it is safe to say that Gomes is one of their key players having played in all but one Ligue 1 game this season whilst laying on three assists for his teammates, according to Fotmob.
In his last game, a 1-1 draw with Brest, the 23-year-old was the most accurate passer in the match, finding a teammate with 94 per cent of his efforts as he created two goalscoring chances for his teammates.
When compared to midfielders in the Europa Conference League this season, Gomes places in the 90th percentile for expected assisted goals per 90 minutes, with an average of 0.23 a match, according to Fbref.
Only four per cent of his positional peers in the competition have managed to complete more progressive passes a match than the Lille star, who has averaged 8.45 progressive efforts a game in Europe this season.
The Englishman also managed to complete 100 per cent of three attempted long passes against Brest and played seven balls into the final third as he helped Lille drive up the pitch and towards the opposition’s box.
Gomes is an incredibly effective dribbler and in his last outing, he managed to complete 100 per cent of his runs with the ball at his feet whilst also drawing two fouls to slow down the game when required.
Compared to other midfielders in the Conference League this term, Gomes sits in the top three per cent of progressive carrying distance per game and the 96th percentile for carries into the final third per game.
Defensively, the former Manchester United man isn’t a slouch either as he won 100 per cent of his attempted tackles, completed four ball recoveries and only lost one of the five duels he entered in the air and on the ground.
Do Villa have any new injury worries?
While one player won’t completely decide the tie, Villa’s chances of reaching the semi-finals have been massively boosted by the news that Gomes will likely not be fit and available to play against Emery’s side this term.
As long as the Villa boss can avoid picking up any new injuries, especially to key players like Ollie Watkins after Matty Cash was recently ruled out, the Villans have an excellent chance to book their place in the next round.
In other Aston Villa news, Alan Hutton has suggested Emery will be furious with one Villa star for what he did in the international break
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