Aston Villa and Ajax are scheduled to lock horns with each other in the second leg of the Europa League Round of 16 this Thursday. The first leg saw a series of drama on the field, including a red card for both sides. As the score stands 0-0, all will be decided at the Villa Park.
The Villans will be looking to redeem themselves after suffering a 0-4 loss at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur in the domestic league recently. Boss Unai Emery will have to lift the morale of the players and prepare them for the Ajax challenge.
4-4-2 Aston Villa Predicted Lineup Vs Ajax
Defence
Emi Martinez is going to be placed between the sticks without any second thought. He would be extra motivated to block all shots coming his way. Matty Cash is likely to operate as a right-back in place of Ezri Konsa, who was sent off in the first leg.
Diego Carlos should be the one pairing up with Pau Torres to form the heart of the defence. The defender looked fine in the previous game and will replace Clement Lenglet in the lineup. Lucas Digne is likely to retain his place as the left-back, though Alex Moreno could also be an option.
Midfield
Multiple changes are expected to be made by Unai Emery in the midfield. Leon Bailey is likely to return to his midfield position after the attacking role didn’t suit him. While Morgan Rogers will operate on the right flank, John McGinn and Douglas Luiz will take centre positions. Youri Tielemans is expected to start on the bench.
Attack
Youri Tielemans will again be deployed to forward position alongside Ollie Watkins. They both will be instrumental in finding the back of the net.
Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Jhon Duran and Boubacar Kamara are the notable absentees for the contest.
