Aston Villa have won their last 11 European matches at Villa Park, and on Wednesday they host a Viking side still waiting for a first Champions League win.
Villa beat Club Brugge 3-2 and then Fenerbahçe 6-0, their biggest European win, to sit among nine sides with maximum points after two matchdays. Viking, in the competition for the first time since 1992-93, lost 3-1 at Stuttgart before drawing 3-3 with Bayern Munich last week after scoring a 90th-minute equaliser.
The clubs have never met. Viking’s only previous tie against English opposition was Chelsea in the 2002-03 UEFA Cup, which they won 5-4 on aggregate. Villa’s last eight Champions League matches have produced 34 goals, and Viking have scored in each of their last 10 European matches.
Aston Villa vs Viking – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 BST
- Venue: Villa Park
- Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (AUT)
- Last meeting: None (first meeting)
Team news
Aston Villa
Johan Manzambi will miss the match with a “small injury” picked up in the win at Newcastle, Emery confirmed. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is out for three to four weeks, Matteo Ruggeri for around two months and Amadou Onana for a long time. Ian Maatsen has returned to training, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been added to the Champions League squad as Ruggeri’s replacement. George Hemmings is back in contention after a minor knee problem.
Viking FK
Martin Ove Roseth (knee), Nick D’Agostino (leg), Veton Berisha and Anders Baertelsen are all out. Zlatko Tripic has been involved in three of Viking’s four Champions League goals, and is expected to start alongside Peter Christiansen and new signing Erik Botheim.
Form
Aston Villa
Villa failed to win their first three Premier League matches without scoring, but have won five of their last seven in all competitions. Emery’s 100th Premier League win came at Newcastle on Saturday, courtesy of Manzambi’s first-half header. They are 12th in the Premier League and third in the Champions League table. They face Manchester City on Saturday, which could influence selection.
Viking FK
Viking are level on points with Bodø/Glimt at the top of the Eliteserien with seven games left, having won their last four league matches, most recently 3-2 against Fredrikstad. Peter Christiansen is their top scorer on 14 goals. Their only defeat in their last 12 matches in all competitions was the loss at Stuttgart. They are led by joint head coaches Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen.
Predicted lineups
Aston Villa predicted XI: Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Mings; Kamara, Barkley; McGinn, Buendia, Mbaye; Jackson
Viking FK predicted XI: Ostbo; Heggheim, Stensness, Falchener, K. Haugen; Bjordal, Bell, Askildsen; Tripic, Botheim, Christiansen
How to watch Aston Villa vs Viking?
The match will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on TNT Sports 2 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
Read more – Gnabry praises Arteta leadership ahead of Arsenal reunion
See also – Ten Hag explains why Man United failed to land Kane and Rice