Aston Villa face Viking in the league phase of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League.
Victory could put Villa top of the table, whilst Viking can climb into the knockout play-off positions with a win.
Team News
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is ruled out for Villa after he suffered a hamstring injury in their 1-0 Premier League win at Newcastle.
Johan Manzambi will sit this match out due to a knock suffered on Tyneside.
Modu Cisse (groin/hip), George Hemmings (knee) and Ian Maatsen (ankle) face late fitness checks.
Matteo Ruggeri (hamstring) and Amadou Onana (ACL) remain sidelined.
Viking have no fresh injury concerns as Martin Ove Roseth (knee), Nick D’Agostino (leg), Veton Berisha and Anders Baertelsen (both unspecified) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Villa host Viking at Villa Park on Wednesday 21 October at 8pm BST, live on TNT Sports 2 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Villa are facing Viking for the first time in all UEFA competitions.
- Viking are making their first competitive visit to Villa in any competition.
- Three of Villa’s nine goals in their first two league-phase matches have been scored by Nicolas Jackson (W2).
- Viking lost 2-1 away at Chelsea in their only previous visit to English opposition in September 2002 in the first leg of their first-round tie in that season’s UEFA Cup.
Prediction
Now firmly back in their groove and with clean sheets in their last two matches, Villa have to be favourites after a clinical hard-earned win over Newcastle following their ruthless demolition of Fenerbahce, and Manzambi shouldn’t be too huge a loss given their depth and quality in attack.
Viking meanwhile can’t be underestimated because despite being naturally outplayed at home to Bayern Munich, they were just clinical in the moments when they were on top which has to be a worry for Villa defensively given the ruthlessness of their end product.
I however do think that Villa will prove too strong at home but Viking will at least give them more of a battle than Fenerbahce produced.
Prediction: Aston Villa 3-1 Viking
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