You got to admire the Unai Emery project at Aston Villa FC. They made the top four last season, and find themselves right back up there this season. Heading into the big Champions League midweek showdown with Bayern Munich, you have to be impressed with the work they’re doing, both at home, and on the continent.
Villa got their UCL campaign off to a great start, but now the challenge ramps up considerably.
UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 of 8
Bayern Munich at Aston Villa
Kickoff: Wed. Oct. 2, 8pm, Villa Park, Birmingham, UK
Bayern Munich Preview Content: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Aston Villa Preview Content: Team News Starting XI Prediction
UCL Standing, Form: Aston Villa 4th, 3 pts, +3 GD, W Bayern Munich 1st, 3 pts, +7 GD, W
And while very few are expecting them to beat Bayern, they should, at the very least, are expecting them to keep it quite competitive. Below you’ll find the most competitive lineup possible (at least in our opinion).
Aston Villa Starting XI Prediction vs Bayern Munich (Champions League)
Emiliano Martinez; Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne; Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans; Leon Bailey, Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins
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.