The lowdown on Viking FK

Aston Villa look to make it three wins from three in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, as Viking FK visit Villa Park (ko 8pm).

The Norwegian outfit make the trip having secured a commendable point in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich last week, to get them on the board in the league phase.

Unai Emery’s men, conversely, are yet to faulter from their two European outings thus far, as a Matchday One victory at Club Brugge was followed up with a 6-0 thrashing of Fenerbahçe last week.

But, having remained undefeated in their six outings in all competitions since MD1, Viking will be sure to provide the Villans with a stern test in B6.

Here is the lowdown on Wednesday’s visitors…

Scenesetter

Viking FK’s rise back to the top of Norwegian football has given them a platform to compete on Europe’s biggest stage once more.

A first league title since 1991 was delivered last season by joint head coaches Morten Jensen and Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim, and they navigated a course past GNK Dinamo in UEFA Champions League qualifying to reach the league phase.

Their place in the continent’s top competition represents a first appearance since 1992, when they lost out to Barcelona in the first round.

And they arrive at Villa Park having picked up a point from their opening two matches, losing to VfB Stuttgart before earning a famous draw against Bayern Munich via a thrilling 3-3 in Norway.

Their domestic campaign is reaching crunch time in the Eliteserien as they battle it out with Bodø/Glimt for the title, with Viking second with seven matches to play.

In the Dugout

Morten Jensen and Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim (pictured above) are the joint head coaches of Viking FK.

The duo were assistants to former incumbent Bjarne Berntsen before being offered the chance to interview separately for the top job in late 2020.

Long-time friends Jensen, 46, and Aarsheim, 51, proposed that they take on the role together, and they steadily improved the team before delivering a first league title in 34 years in 2025.

Aarsheim spent the majority of his playing career at Viking, making close to 300 appearances and winning a Norwegian Cup, while also representing Norway on three occasions.

By contrast, injuries stalled Jensen’s playing days in the Viking youth setup and he played in the lower leagues before coaching part-time alongside a job in the oil and gas industry.

The pair were named Coaches of the Year in Norway last term after their league triumph, and they now lead the club into Europe’s top competition for the first time since 1992.

The Captain

Experienced winger Zlatko Tripić is over five years into his second spell at Viking, having rejoined the club in May 2021.

Born in Rijeka, Croatia, Tripić grew up in Norway, beginning his professional career at Egersund.

After spells in both Germany and Transnistria with Greuther Fürth and Sheriff Tiraspol respectively, the 33-year-old signed for Viking in February 2018, leading his side to the 2019 Norwegian Cup, notching the winner in the final.

After a short spell in Türkiye with Göztepe, Tripić returned to Viking in 2021, and was named Eliteserien Player of the Year in 2024, before captaining the side to a history-making league title a year later.

Their Home

Inaugurated in 2004, Viking Stadion replaced Viking’s former home, Stavanger Stadion, and has a current capacity of 15,900.

The venue has hosted Norway Under-21 international fixtures and a number of music concerts with the likes of Bon Jovi, The Eagles, Bryan Adams and Robbie Williams.

Three to Watch

Peter Christiansen

The Dane made a name for himself in the UEFA Champions League on Matchday Two with a fine finish against Bayern Munich.

Viking fans know and love him as a central striker, but he showed he can be effective from the right wing during the 3-3 draw with the Bundesliga champions.

Christiansen has found a home since signing for the club from Sønderjyske in 2024, top scoring with 14 as they won the league title last term.

He’s into double figures again as Viking look to go back-to-back, flourishing in their 4-3-3 system, while he bagged a brace in their last outing.

The 26-year-old has also shown an ability to assist, using his pace to create openings for his side.

Simen Kvia-Egeskog

Homegrown midfielder and Stavanger native Kvia-Egeskog is following in his grandfather’s footsteps in representing Viking.

Svein Kvia is regarded as one of the finest players in the club’s history, winning several league titles, while he was also named Norway’s Player of the Year in 1976.

Kvia-Egeskog is building his own legacy with The Dark Blues, having made his senior debut in 2021.

Operating in central midfield, the 23-year-old was a mainstay of last season’s title-winning team and has continued to show his importance this term.

He’s bagged nine goals in the Eliteserien, and the Norwegian youth international can also operate on the wing.

Kristoffer Askildsen (pictured above)

Former Villan Øyvind Leonhardsen had a hand in the development of Askildsen at former club Stabæk.

The central midfielder left his homeland in 2020 to join Sampdoria, spending four years in Italy before linking up with FC Midtjylland.

Following less than a year in Denmark, he returned home with Viking and immediately helped them end a long wait for a league title.

Primarily in the team for his defensive qualities in midfield, Askildsen has also flashed an eye for goal as five league strikes attest this season.

The 25-year-old has one cap for his country to his name, earned in a UEFA Nations League clash back in 2020.

Last Season

The 2025 season was a historic one for Viking, who claimed their first league title since 1991, having won promotion back to the top flight in 2018.

Their ninth league title was complemented by a run to the Norwegian Cup semi-finals, where they were beaten by runners-up Sarpsborg 08 FF.

Their third-place finish in 2024 meant a spot in the second qualifying round for the UEFA Conference League, where they made it past Slovenian outfit Koper over two legs, only to fall to İstanbul Başakşehir at the third qualifying stage.