Aston Villa are looking for a win that may all however assure a top-eight end within the Europa League and automated qualification for the spherical of 16 when the Premier League aspect go to Fenerbahce on Thursday.
Villa’s European kind has mirrored their robust performances within the high flight and 5 wins of their six video games mea they continue to be among the many title favourites in European membership soccer’s second-tier competitors, though they suffered a uncommon defeat with a 1-0 loss at dwelling to Everton on Sunday.
Fenerbahce are twelfth however know a win would put them in rivalry for the highest eight forward of subsequent Thursday’s closing spherical of video games within the league section.
Backed by their fervent help, Fener have defeated Good and Stuttgart however boss Domenico Tedesco is aware of extra is required towards Villa.
“We beat [them] due to feelings, however with out construction and possession now we have no likelihood at this degree,” stated the previous Belgium supervisor.
“[Villa] are a ball-playing crew, however they’ve this unbelievable vertical strategy. As quickly as they’ve a free foot, they’ve two runners.
“They’ll play deep, press excessive, and play on counter-attacks. They’re a whole crew, and so they have labored with this coach for a few years. They’re a fantastic membership and have a fantastic coach.”
Fenerbahce beginning line-up vs Aston Villa
The hosts make three adjustments from their win at Alanyaspor, with Jhon Duran beginning alongside fellow former Villan Marco Asensio.
Fred, who spent 5 seasons with Manchester United, and Dorgeles Nene additionally are available.
Archie Brown, Levent Mercan and Sebastian Szymanski are out injured. Matteo Guendouzi, Anthony Musaba and Mert Gunok are ineligible within the Europa League till the knockout section.
Fenerbahce beginning XI: Ederson, Semedo, Skriniar, Oosterwolde, Mert, İsmail, Fred, Asensio, Nene, Kerem, Duran
Fenerbahce substitutes: To comply with
Aston Villa beginning line-up vs Fenerbahce
Villa make 5 adjustments from their defeat towards the Toffees and are with out goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, midfielders Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Ross Barkley and new winger Alysson.
Goalkeeper Marco Bizot is available in, as do Victor Lindelof and Tyrone Mings in central defence, Lucas Digne at left-back and wideman Jadon Sancho.
Midfielder Amadou Onana has returned to coaching and is on the bench.
Aston Villa beginning XI: Bizot, Money, Lindelof, Mings, Digne, Bogarde, Tielemans, Sancho, Rogers, Buendia, Watkins.
Aston Villa substitutes: Proctor, Wright, Konsa, Torres, Garcia, Hemmings, Onana, Guessand, Maatsen, Jimoh-Aloba, Younger
Tips on how to watch Fenerbahce v Aston Villa: TV, stay on-line streams
Fenerbahce vs Aston Villa kicks off at 17:45 GMT on Thursday. The match might be proven stay within the UK on TNT Sports activities 1.
A web based stream might be accessible by way of Discovery Plus on supported gadgets.
Stats for Fenerbahce v Aston Villa
- These sides final met within the UEFA Cup in 1977, Villa profitable 6-0 on mixture within the first spherical on their strategy to the quarter-finals
- Fenerbahce have confronted English opposition 20 occasions, profitable on 4 events
- Kerem Akturkoglu has scored in three of Fenerbahce’s six video games to date, netting a complete of 4 objectives
- Fener are second within the Turkish Tremendous Lig, a degree behind Galatasaray
- Villa’s final European match towards a aspect from Tukiye noticed them beat Trabzonspor 2-1 within the UEFA Cup in November 1994
- They had been, nevertheless, eradicated on away objectives rule in that tie after a 2-2 draw on mixture.
- Throughout Matchday 5 and 6 of this season’sEuropa League, no participant scored extra objectives than Fenerbahce’s Talisca (4)
- Talisca had scored two objectives in his earlier 13 Europa League video games
- This might be Villa supervisor Unai Emery’s one hundredth match within the Europa League (since 2009/10), turning into the primary supervisor to achieve that milestone
- The closest supervisor to Emery by way of video games within the competitors is Jorge Jesus on 68
- Amongst gamers to function in additional than 20 matches within the Europa League (since 2009/10), Victor Lindelof has the most effective passing accuracy (93.1%)
- The Swede has solely misplaced 13 of 271 passes on this season’s competitors for Aston Villa (95.3% accuracy)
Aston Villa Europa League squad 2025/26
Villa’s Checklist A Europa League squad has been registered till the spherical of 16 in February 2026, when golf equipment can add a most of three new gamers inside the current restrict of 25.
Goalkeepers: Emi Martinez, Marco Bizot
Defenders: Matty Money, Victor Lindelof, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Pau Torres
Midfielders: Andres García, Ian Maatsen, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Jadon Sancho, Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara, Harvey Elliott
Forwards: Emi Buendia, Ollie Watkins, Donyell Malen, Morgan Rogers, Evann Guessand
Checklist B submissions, comprised of gamers born after January 1, 2004 who’ve been eligible to play for the membership for an uninterrupted interval of two years since their fifteenth birthday, can be made till midnight earlier than every match.
Aston Villa Europa League schedule 2025/26
In a change from the earlier group stage held till 2023/24, every crew now performs eight matches within the league section, all towards completely different opponents.
The highest eight sides within the desk qualify mechanically for the spherical of 16. The groups ending in ninth to twenty fourth will compete in a two-legged knockout section play-off to achieve the final 16.
Groups ending twenty fifth or decrease are out of Europe for the season.
Knockout section play-offs: February 17/18 & 24/25 2026
Spherical of 16: March 10/11 & 17/18 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7/8 & 14/15 2026
Semi-finals: April 28/29 and Could 5/6 2026
Closing: Could 30 2026
When are the Europa League attracts?
Knockout section play-offs: January 30 2026
Spherical of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and closing: February 27 2026
Which English golf equipment are within the Europa League 2025/26?
Villa certified by ending sixth in 2024/25, though they’d have been within the Champions League had they not misplaced at Manchester United on the ultimate day.
Nottingham Forest’s participation comes after they had been promoted from the Convention League due to a UEFA ruling towards FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, upheld by the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport.
When is the Europa League closing?
The final will happen on Could 20 2026 on the Besiktas Stadium dwelling of 16-time Turkish champions Besiktas.
The stadium hosted a dramatic 2019 Tremendous Cup closing, Chelsea and Liverpool every scoring as soon as throughout common and further time earlier than the Reds gained on penalties following the 2-2 draw.
