Aston Villa are into the group stages of the Europa Conference League and on Thursday afternoon travel to Poland to take on Legia Warsaw. We’ve taken a look at this match and given you a couple of suggested best bets. 

The Europa Conference League has quickly progressed from the laughing stock of European football into a legitimate competition that some of the bigger names in Europe are now targeting as a route into the bigger trophys. West Ham United, of course, followed Roma’s lead last season and now find themselves in the Europa League.

It is a pathway that Aston Villa (1/2) will be well aware of, and whilst Unai Emery will have his sights set a bit higher in terms of an automatic qualification via the Premier League into the Europa League or possibly even the Champions League, he will also target this as a major title they can win.

Group E looks to a be a group that the Villans can progress from relatively easily, with Legia Warsaw (5/1), AZ Alkmaar and Croatian side Zrinjski Mostar still yet to play.

Villa have started the season brightly, with three wins from their opening five games and Emery will have been encouraged by how the midlands side have responded to their opening day drubbing at the hands of Newcastle United.

Due to their high UEFA co-efficient, Villa needed just the one two-legged match to get to this stage, a 8-0 demolition of Hibernian.

Legia have had an unbeaten start to the Polish Ekstraklasa, yet only sit in 3rd after four wins and a couple of draws. They have already played three qualification rounds to get to this group stage, beating Ordabasy, Austria Wien and FC Midtjylland.

Team news:

Legia head coach Kosta Runjaic is expected to stick to the same starting XI that drew with Piast Gliwice at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Emery has already alluded to rotating his squad, with Youri Tielemans expected to start here. Elsewhere, Jhon Suran should have earned a start, after his superb goal against Crystal Palace and should line up alongside Leon Bailey at the top of the park.

Aston Villa to win and both teams to score – 21/10

The European Champions of 1982 are looking to win their next major European trophy and they are a huge 7/2 favourite to do so.

It’s not hard to see why, after what West Ham achieved last season and with Unai Emery having such a sensational record of winning European titles.

Their eight goal hammering of Hibs showed just how much class they have against this level of competition and they should win comfortably here.

However, it won’t be easy in Warsaw, with a feverish home support behind Legia, who I fancy to get on the scoresheet.

Warsaw have scored in every fixture this season thus far, and Villa have only kept one clean sheet.

Youri Tielemans anytime goal scorer – 4/1

Emery should put Tielemans in his usual spot in the centre of the park and with his proven ability, he should be running this game for fun.

The 26-year-old hasn’t really had a look in yet at Villa, with five straight substitute appearances but given a chance he can hit the target from distance.

In both 2021 and 2022, Tielemans registered six Premier League goals for Leicester City and clearly has an eye for goal, when he gets near the area.

Villa should have the bulk of the possession here and I think we could see the Belgian get back on the goal trail.