Aston Villa are set to kick off their 2025/26 Champions League campaign with a trip to Belgian Pro League champions Club Brugge on Tuesday night.
Villa are heading into the contest with plenty to prove after a summer of upheaval.
They finally ended their trophy drought last season, winning the Europa League after an impressive run that included 13 wins from 15 games.
Villa were also exceptional in the Premier League, finishing fourth.
Their Europa League success was another feather in manager Unai Emery’s cap. He was already considered a specialist in the tournament.
Emery is now preparing for his ninth Champions League campaign but must do so with a new-look Villa squad after overseeing a major overhaul.
The new-look squad is packed with potential. However, early results show Villa will need time to get up to speed with how Emery wants his team to play.
Villa opened the Premier League season with a heavy 4-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion before suffering a narrow home loss against reigning champions Arsenal.
A goalless draw at newly promoted Hull City followed, leaving Villa with just one point from their opening three league games.
The lack of goals and cohesion was understandable given the amount of change at the club. But Emery must figure out a winning formula to avoid similar troubles on Villa’s return to the Champions League.
A familiar trip to Belgium allows Villa to put their difficult start behind them and remind everyone why they’re still a force to be reckoned with.
How Villa could line up
Emery will likely make a couple of tweaks to the starting line-up after the disappointing result against Hull, but Zion Suzuki should keep his place in goal.
Pau Torres should return to the team in place of Tyrong Mings, joining Matty Cash, Victor Lindelof and Ian Maatsen in the back four.
Joao Gomes comes in to replace Ross Barkley and partner Boubacar Kamara. John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia and George Hemmings will play behind striker Nicolas Jackson.
Hemmings is set to make his debut in the competition. The 19-year-old has impressed during the early part of the season.
Predicted Villa starting XI
(4-2-3-1): Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Gomes; McGinn, Buendia, Hemmings; Jackson.
