Aston Villa - Viking

Nicolas Jackson arrives at this Champions League matchday 3 encounter in fine form, having spearheaded Aston Villa to a narrow victory over Newcastle United on 17 October 2026. The forward remains central to Villa's attacking rhythm, which saw them dismantle Fenerbahce 6-0 in their previous European outing. Despite a challenging injury list that includes Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Ian Maatsen, and Matteo Ruggeri, the expected XI at Villa Park retains a balanced midfield anchored by John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara. Villa will look to leverage their recent domestic and continental momentum to secure a significant result on home soil.

Viking travel to face their English opponents following a high-scoring 3-3 draw against Bayern Munich on 13 October 2026. Zlatko Tripic and Erik Botheim lead a side that has shown impressive goal-scoring form, including a recent 3-2 victory over Fredrikstad. While Viking suffered an early setback against Stuttgart in this competition, their ability to find the net consistently suggests they will test the Villa defensive line. With the midfield trio of Kristoffer Askildsen, Joe Bell, and Henrik Roervik Bjoerdal tasked with controlling the tempo, the visitors aim to disrupt Villa's rhythm and claim a positive result in this pivotal fixture.