Aston Villa – Viking: preview
We have the line‑ups for the Aston Villa vs Viking match in the third round of the common phase of the 2026/27 Champions League.
"Aston Villa" shares second place in the standings with "Barcelona", but the visitors are "Viking", who recently earned points against "Bayern".
Key points
Aston Villa
1. After a disappointing start, Aston Villa regained the necessary confidence
In the last eight matches across all competitions, the Birmanes allowed only one defeat – against "Nottingham Forest" in the EPL. The last five official matches gave Unai Emery four wins and a draw, but Aston Villa has not yet won three consecutive games this season. In the Champions League everything is going well: after the unexpected home win against "Brugge" (3:2) followed the overwhelming 6:0 home rout of "Fenerbahçe".
2. Another wing‑back joins the injury list
After the match with "Newcastle", Aaron van Bissak left the dressing room, replacing the previously injured defenders of the season, Yena Masten and Matteo Ruggeri. In the problematic position, the starting central defender Pedro Torres will play, having recently recovered from an injury. The participation of midfielder Joao Menzambi, with three goals and three assists, remains doubtful: she was the most productive player in the team this season, but was forced to leave the field after a painful leg blow. In the squad rotation, central midfielder Ross Barclay and wingers Ibrahim Mbaye and John McGinn must return to the core.
3. Aston Villa scores more in European competitions than in the EPL
In the two Champions League matches, Aston Villa scored nine goals, two more than in seven EPL fixtures. Last year, the Birmanes also showed greater efficiency in Europe than domestically: in the Europa League, the average was 2.06 goals per game, while in the EPL it was only 1.47.
The Viking attack will have to work hard.
Viking
1. Viking controls Bayern and has not lost in the last six matches
The defeat against "Stuttgart" 1:3 in the first round of the CL remains the only loss in Viking's last 12 matches. Since then, with five wins in Norwegian domestic tournaments, Viking has not suffered a defeat in a face‑to‑face or at home against Bayern – the Morten Jensen players led the score 2:0, but then allowed the opponent to come back and take the lead. However, at the end of the game, Viking used the numerical advantage and pleased its fans with a 3:3 draw with the elite club.
2. Viking's line‑up will be close to optimal
Kristoffer Haugen was out of the match against "Fredrikstad" due to a minor injury sustained in the game with Bayern. The return of the main left‑back in Birmingham remains uncertain, but the coaching staff expects the best. Overall, Viking's personnel situation is stable – the other injured players have been absent for a long time and the team is already used to getting results without them. Over the weekend, Bjarte Aarshaim allowed three first‑team players to rest: midfielder Kristoffer Aksildsen was suspended, and his central midfield partner Henrik Bjerdahl and team captain Zlatko Trpich came off the bench.
3. Viking's most productive players are ready to shine in England
At the end of the summer transfer window, one of Viking's leaders, Edwin Eustbø, was sold to "West Ham" in London. Now the forecast to prove his worth on English soil is open for other key players of the team – the top scorer Peter Christiansen (14 goals in 22 Norwegian league matches and two goals in four European competition matches) and winger Zlatko Trpich, who scored in three of four European matches this season, and also gave 20 assists in the Elite Serie. Viking scores in five consecutive away European matches and does not plan to stay in defense in Birmingham.
Estimated line‑ups
4-2-3-1
4-1-4-2
3-1-3-3
SUDZUKI 14
TORRES 5
MINGS 3
LINDLEF 2
KASH 6
BARCLAY 8
CAMARA 10
BUENDE 19
MBAYE 7
MCCINN 11
JACKSON 1
ESTBØ 5
HEGGEHEIM 6
STENSNES 25
FAALEN 24
EUKLEN 8
BELLE 16
BJERDHL 7
ASKILD 20
CRISTIANSEN 10
TRPICH 22
BOTHEIM
Betting on the trend
In five of the last eight home matches for Aston Villa and five of the last seven away matches for Viking, both teams scored. ODS (yes) at 1.66. Minimum four goals in four of the last five European matches for Aston Villa and in eight of the last nine international matches for Viking. TB (3.5) at 1.81.
Prediction
Aston Villa vs Viking 21.10.2026 23:00
"Aston Villa" has gained excellent rhythm and scored 15 goals in the last five official matches, which allowed four wins and a draw. At the same time, in the first two Champions League rounds, the current Europa League winners stood out nine times, although the opponents were quite challenging – "Brugge" and "Fenerbahçe".
"Viking" enjoys the game in the Champions League, but in the first two matches of the Norwegian tournament they lost six goals and earned only one point. However, Viking does not stay in defense, which allowed the surprising victory over Bayern in the last round, but had to settle for a 3:3 draw.
Repeating this success away at Aston Villa, who is in good form, will be difficult, but the visitors will also contribute to the final score.
Prediction: 3-1
