It is just preseason, and therefore we are to take all these matches with a grain of salt, but Aston Villa have looked horrid thus far on their preseason tour of the United States. They lost 2-0 to Red Bull Leipzig in Harrison, New Jersey, as the venue which is home to Leipzig’s sister club in New York City. Before that came a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Columbus Crew, at their ground.
Now the Villans will face Mexican side Club America in Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan. Let’s preview this match at the home of the Chicago Bears.
Leagues Cup Showcase FYIs
Kick-off time: 4:30 PM EST, Aug 3, 2024, Soldier Field, Chicago, IL, USA
Competition: Club Friendly
Stream: MLS Season Pass, Univision, TruTV, Max, Televisa, VillaTV
Buy the book: Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America
Aston Villa Team News
As you’ll be on that infamous Chicago Park District sod, beware the pitch! It can be treacherous. Just ask Chelsea striker Christopher Nkunku about what happened to him in this spot last season.
Villa are in the Champions League now, and that means they have greatly leveled up, both as a squad and as a club. They need to show some more ambition in this clash.
They have certainly shown plenty of ambition in the transfer market this summer, and the new additions should get more minutes with their new club here.
There is only one major absentee here, as No. 1 goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is currently on holiday after achieving another Copa America title with Argentina. His fill-in, Robin Olsen, exited the loss at Red Bull Arena early due to injury.
Manager Unai Emery will meet the media later today, and perhaps he’ll provide more information? If so, we’ll update this post.
Aston Villa Starting XI Prediction
Oliwier Zych; Matty Cash, Lamare Bogarde, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen; Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans; Leon Bailey, John McGinn, Morgan Rogers; Cameron Archer
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.