Aston Villa return to the European stage after more than a decade away... with Unai Emery in charge and the club thriving with a data-driven approach, nights under the lights look set to become the norm for years to come

Aston Villa return to serious European action for the first time in more than a decade on Thursday but the club’s work behind the scenes should ensure these nights are regular events in the years ahead.

It is easy to look at Villa’s trajectory in the last 10 months and attribute it to one decision: the appointment of Unai Emery to replace Steven Gerrard last autumn.

When Emery arrived, Villa were worrying about relegation. Now after disposing of Hibernian in the qualifiers, they face Legia Warsaw here in the first group match of the Europa Conference League.