Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv  – Europa League

 

Fixture Overview

• Match: Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

• Competition: UEFA Europa League 2025/26 – Group Stage

• Date & Time: Thursday, 6 November 2025, 20:00 GMT

• Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham

• Tickets: Eventmasters

Importance of the Match

• Being a group stage Europa League fixture, this could be decisive for progression to the knockout rounds.

• Aston Villa will likely be pushing for maximum points at home to solidify their spot, whereas Maccabi Tel Aviv may need a positive result to stay in contention.

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Current Managers

Unai Emery (Aston Villa)

• Nationality: Spanish

• Previous Clubs: Sevilla, PSG, Arsenal, Villarreal

• Europa League Record: Exceptional – holds the record for most Europa League wins as a manager.

• Current Form: Since taking charge of Villa, Emery has brought a disciplined, possession-based system. Villa tends to control games at home, averaging around 1.8 goals per home game in Europe this season.

• Key Stats:

  • European competitions win rate: ~60–65%

  • Teams often concede fewer than 1 goal per game in knockout-style European fixtures.

Žarko Lazetić (Maccabi Tel Aviv)

• Nationality: Serbian

• Previous Clubs: Smaller European clubs; this is his first significant European campaign with a top-flight side.

• Style: Lazetić favours quick transitions, counter-attacking football, and exploiting space behind opposition defences.

• Current Form: Maccabi has been competitive in domestic and European fixtures, but tends to struggle against technically superior possession sides.

• Key Stats:

  • European win rate: ~35–40%

  • Away matches in Europe often see Maccabi concede 1–2 goals per match.

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Historical Club Performance

Aston Villa

• Founded in 1874, Villa has a strong domestic history with 7 English league titles and 7 FA Cups.

• In Europe, Villa has sporadic experience in the UEFA Cup/Europa League, with notable runs in the 1970s and late 2010s.

• Strength at Villa Park is notable: home games in European competitions historically see Villa secure ~60% of points available.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

• Founded in 1906, the most successful Israeli club domestically with 25+ league titles.

• European record is mixed: they often reach the Europa League group stages but rarely advance past the Round of 32.

• Away from home in Europe, their record is tough: historically around 25% win rate.

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Head-to-Head (H2H) Analysis

• This will be the first competitive fixture between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

• No prior European or domestic meetings exist, so no direct H2H data.

• Comparisons will rely on club form, European experience, and home/away statistics.

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Predicted Tactical Battle

• Villa: Likely to dominate possession, use width through fullbacks, and employ high pressing to disrupt Maccabi’s counter-attacks.

• Maccabi: Expected to absorb pressure, stay compact in midfield, and strike on the break. Set-pieces could be a key weapon.

• Key Players to Watch:

  • Villa: Their playmaker (likely Emi Buendía-type role) and a reliable striker.

  • Maccabi: Quick wingers and target striker, capable of exploiting Villa’s high defensive line.

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Historical Trends to Consider

• English clubs vs Israeli clubs in Europe: English sides win ~70–75% of matches at home in this matchup historically.

• Emery in European group stages: Very consistent; rarely loses at home, tends to score 2+ goals per home European match.

• Lazetić in European away matches: Teams under him usually play defensively; scoring is limited but they can spring a surprise with fast counters.

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✅ Summary Insight

• Villa, at home under Emery, is strongly favoured.

• Maccabi Tel Aviv will rely on defensive discipline and counter-attacking speed.

• This match could set the tone for both clubs’ Europa League campaign: a win for Villa likely secures top group contention, while Maccabi may need to take a point to keep qualifying hopes alive.

 

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