McGinn: Aston Villa do not want to be a 'maybe team'

John McGinn insisted Aston Villa do not want to be remembered as a "maybe team" as they prepare for the second leg of their Europa League last 16 tie with Lille. 

Ollie Watkins' 61st-minute first strike last Thursday ensured Unai Emery's side took a 1-0 lead back to Villa Park, putting them in a strong position to progress to the quarter-finals.

Villa have won each of their last six Europa League games; the only English team to put together a longer winning streak in the competition are Chelsea between April 2013 and November 2018, an eight-match run which encompassed the 2012-13 final.

And the Villans' only previous time hosting Lille in major European competition came in the 2023-24 Conference League, winning 2-1 in the first leg of a last-eight tie. 

Emery's side are assigned a 90% chance of progressing to the quarter-finals and a 25% chance of winning the Europa League, higher than any other team left in the competition. 

However, when asked if Villa need a trophy this season, club captain McGinn drew on last season's experience in the Champions League, when they were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight, as motivation to do better this time around. 

"We had that feeling at the end of the PSG game. I know we got a lot of plaudits from the two legs, but essentially we had failed in our task," McGinn told reporters. 

"And that's what the manager has driven into us. He is a manager who has a reputation for getting over the finish line.

"We don't want to be a maybe team, we want something to show for it. We know we've got an expectation, we're one of the favourites to win the competition we know that."

Lille have never won in nine previous visits to England in major European competition (D1 L8), but come up against a Villa side struggling for form of late. 

Their 3-1 defeat to Manchester United last time out saw them fall to a third consecutive defeat in the Premier League, their longest run since February 2023.

It's as many defeats as they had suffered in their 17 previous league matches prior (W11 D3 L3), allowing the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool back into the top-four race. 

"It's only natural when you're winning games and playing well, things are easier," McGinn added on Villa's confidence coming into the match given their recent form. 

"It's important to stick together, and make sure those moments come back.

"On Sunday [against Manchester United] we showed better signs, but we lost poor goals. It doesn't just flick on overnight."

And Emery echoed the thoughts of McGinn, but most notably wanted his team to improve their consistency at Villa Park. 

They have lost their last three games on home soil in all competitions, with their clash against Lille followed up by a league meeting against West Ham on Sunday. 

"We must achieve consistency, how we were two weeks ago. Of course, we feel it is a stretch," Emery said.

"We're playing the second leg in the last 16. When we were here three and a half years ago, it was a dream. I want to be in and fight for the position we are in now."