Go Ahead Eagles requested help from Liverpool ahead of their Europa League clash against Aston Villa on Thursday
21:06, 22 Oct 2025Updated 21:06, 22 Oct 2025
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery (right)
Liverpool have granted Go Ahead Eagles’ request for footage of Aston Villa to help them prepare for Thursday night’s Europa League match.
Former Feyenoord youth coach Melvin Boel, now in charge of the Dutch side, revealed Liverpool’s favour during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
The Eredivisie club has won just three of their 12 matches so far this season but qualified for the Europa League after winning the KNVB Cup final on penalties last season.
Go Ahead Eagles lost their opening Europa League match at home to FCSB, but bounced back with an impressive away win over Panathinaikos earlier this month.
Ahead of Thursday night’s clash with Villa, Boel was asked about his team’s preparations.
“We looked at multiple footage on different platforms,” he said. “We have some people in football who we have a good connection with, some people from Liverpool.
“The moment you have that information, you can prepare on the opponent. Liverpool shared with us footage of Aston Villa.”
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It was put to Unai Emery in his own pre-match press conference, and the Villa boss said: “We have our own way. It is to analyse tactically, and then individually their players.
“From that we set our game plan. From the information we have, of course, very professional information.
“We are going to try to get our best and tomorrow we will know how they play.”
Villa are targeting their sixth consecutive win and third straight Europa League victory, having already beaten Bologna and Feyenoord in the competition.
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