The League Phase of the UCL is here, and with it, a couple of interesting omissions from the Aston Villa roster. Brian Madjo, the Villans’ star of the UEFA Super Cup, did not make the squad, which could indicate that his ankle/foot injury might be worse than they’re letting on. One of the team’s main summer transfer window signings, Taylor Harwood-Bellis (a central defender acquired from Southampton), didn’t make the cut either.
Meanwhile Johan Manzambi and Amadou Onana (who both have knee injuries) remain out as longer-term absentees.
Champions League FYIs
Aston Villa at Club Brugge
Kickoff: Tues. Sept. 8, 5:45pm
Venue: Jan Breydel Stadium, Brugge, Belgium
Result Probability, According to Google: Aston Villa win 38% Draw 26% Club Brugge win 36%
Aston Villa Team News
That pretty much covers everyone who is out, so then the next question is, naturally, who is in? Joao Gomes is in the midst of his three-match ban, but that is only for FA sanctioned competition. Tuesday night is a UEFA regulated contest, so he is eligible to feature. And given how well rested he is, due to his suspension, you know that he’ll play a prominent role in this one.
Meanwhile German midfielder Leon Goretzka, acquired from Bayern Munich earlier this summer, could finally make his Villa debut here. Goretzka has been battling some issues in getting up to full match fitness, so we’ll see how many minutes he goes in midweek.
Aston Villa Predicted Starting XI at Club Brugge
Zion Suzuki; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen; Boubacar Kamara, Joao Gomes; John McGinn, Emi Buendia, Alejandro Garnacho; Nicolas Jackson
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, Ratings and RG. 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 and the Washington Post.