Barcelona vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Barcelona is set to host Aston Villa in their next UEFA Champions League fixture on Tuesday as Hansi Flick’s men look to bounce back in Europe after their first group stage loss in their last UCL match.

Barcelona vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Barcelona team news

Barcelona enters the match navigating a severe defensive crisis that has heavily depleted Hansi Flick’s squad selection options at the back.

The Catalan side will be completely without Andreas Christensen and Eric García due to thigh injuries, while Jules Koundé and young full-back Xavi Espart are both officially ruled out with ankle problems.

Further forward, attacking midfielder Dani Olmo remains sidelined with an adductor issue, and Roony Bardghji continues his long-term recovery from an ACL tear.

Because of the absolute lack of fit, natural centre-backs, Flick is expected to repeat a bold defensive experiment from the weekend by dropping midfielder Frenkie de Jong back into central defence to partner Pau Cubarsí.

Joan García is expected to start in goal, protected by João Cancelo and Gerard Martín on the flanks, while Rodri, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha anchor the rest of the depleted lineup.

Aston Villa team news

Aston Villa travels to Spain in remarkable European form but must also work around several key absences in midfield and defence.

Unai Emery will be without influential midfielder Amadou Onana, who remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury, while full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri are both unavailable due to persistent hamstring and thigh issues.

On a positive note, midfielder João Gomes is expected to return to the starting eleven after being eased back via the bench during the weekend’s draw against Fulham.

Boubacar Kamara will likely partner Gomes to shield a central defence consisting of Victor Lindelöf and Pau Torres, with Matty Cash and Ian Maatsen operating as full-backs.

Up front, the Villans will rely heavily on the exceptional form of striker Nicolas Jackson, who has scored seven goals in his last seven appearances, supported by John McGinn in attack.

Form

Barcelona

Barcelona bounced back emphatically from consecutive defeats against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain with a resounding 6-1 victory over Alavés on Saturday. Hansi Flick’s squad sits comfortably atop the La Liga standings. In Europe, the Catalan side occupies eighth place in the Champions League league phase, securing six points from their opening three games following early dominant victories over Feyenoord and Galatasaray.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa occupies a strong second place in the Champions League standings with a perfect nine-point record. Unai Emery’s squad secured consecutive European victories against Club Brugge, Fenerbahçe, and Viking. Domestically, the Villans have recovered well from a slow start, remaining unbeaten in five Premier League outings—highlighted by a marquee 2-1 win over Manchester City—before playing out a 1-1 draw against Fulham on Halloween weekend.

Predicted lineups

Barcelona: J. García; Cancelo, Cubarsí, De Jong, Martín; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, López, Gordon; Raphinha.

Aston Villa: Suzuki; Cash, Lindelöf, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Gomes; McGinn, Manzambi, Buendia; Jackson.

How to watch Barcelona vs Aston Villa?

You can watch the FC Barcelona vs. Aston Villa match live on TNT Sports 1.

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