Villans against Viking in B6

Aston Villa look to continue their faultless start to the UEFA Champions League league phase on Wednesday, when taking on Viking.

The Villans are currently on a five-match unbeaten streak in all competitions after Saturday’s win over Newcastle United, having triumphed over both Club Brugge and Fenerbahçe so far in Europe.

Victory against the Norwegian outfit would be a third on the spin in all competitions, putting them on nine points after Matchday Three.

Reigning champions of Norway, Viking are again in the title mix this year, and are level on points with Bodø/Glimt at the top of the Eliteserien with seven matches to play.

Managed jointly by Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen, they have taken one point from their two Champions League tests thus far, losing to VfB Stuttgart on MD1 before an impressive 3-3 draw at home to German giants Bayern Munich last week.

Stats

This will be just the third time that Viking have faced an English opponent, after two meetings with Chelsea in the first round of the 2002/03 UEFA Cup (lost 1-2 away, won 4-2 at home). 

Viking will be looking to become the first Norwegian side ever to win away to an English side in European competition – including qualifiers, teams from Norway are winless in 28 total attempts, losing 26 of them (D2). 

Nicolas Jackson has scored in both of this UEFA Champions League appearances for Villa (1 v Club Brugge, 2 v Fenerbahçe), and could become the first player to score in three consecutive outings for the club in the European Cup/Champions League. 

If Villa win this game, we will be the second fastest team to reach 20 European Cup/UEFA Champions League victories (in our 30th game), only behind Real Madrid (won 20 of first 29).  

Viking have lost all seven of their European Cup/UEFA Champions League away matches to date, conceding 22 goals in the process. Only one side have ever played more away matches while losing every time (8/8 by Tirana).  

Villa are looking to win four consecutive games for the first time in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, while they could also score 3+ goals in four in a row for the first time.   

Last time out against Bayern Munich, Viking scored 3+ goals in a major European game for the third time, and first time since October 2002 against Chelsea (4-2 in UEFA Cup); they were also the first team to come from behind to earn a point against the German side in a UEFA Champions League group/league phase match since Ajax in December 2018.   

Excluding own goals, Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki has the best differential between goals conceded (2) and xG on target faced (3.65) in the UEFA Champions League this season (+1.65). 

Viking’s Erik Botheim has been directly involved in 13 goals in 23 appearances in major European competitions (8 goals, 5 assists), including an assist for the goal that put them 2-0 up against Bayern Munich last week.  

Zlatko Tripić assisted two of Viking’s three goals last time out in the UEFA Champions League – he was the first player to assist 2+ goals against Bayern Munich in the competition while playing for a non big five-European league side since Ajax’s Kanu in April 1995. 

The Last Meeting

Villa enjoyed a night to remember at Villa Park on Matchday Two this time last week, defeating Fenerbahçe 6-0 to maintain their 100% start to the league phase.

Braces each from Nicolas Jackson and Ross Barkley accompanied goals from Johan Manzambi and Tammy Abraham to round off a successful night.

Viking, meanwhile, secured an impressive result of their own, drawing 3-3 at home to Bayern Munich in a thriller in Norway.

Having surrendered a 2-0 first-half lead to trail 3-2, Michael Olise’s sending off allowed a route back into the match for the hosts, who pulled level in the last minute through Herman Haugen.

Team News 

Villa will be without Johan Manzambi and Aaron Wan-Bissaka – the latter for three to four weeks – after the pair picked up injuries at Newcastle United over the weekend. 

There is more positive news, however, on Ian Maatsen, who is back in training ahead of the game, with Matteo Ruggeri and Amadou Onana still sidelined. 

As for Viking, Martin Ove Roseth, Nicholas D’Agostino, Veton Berisha and Anders Bærtelsen all remain out through injury. 

The Villans can expect to come up against a dangerous front three comprising captain Zlatko Tripić, new signing Erik Botheim and top scorer Peter Christiansen. 

Managers' Pre-Match Thoughts