Overview
- Aston Villa host Viking at Villa Park on Wednesday 21 October with kick‑off at 20:00 BST and live coverage on TNT Sports and discovery+.
- Villa arrive as heavy bookmakers’ favourites after winning their first two group matches and scoring nine goals across those games.
- Unai Emery has new injury problems that affect selection: Aaron Wan‑Bissaka is expected to be out for three to four weeks and Johan Manzambi has been ruled out for the match, adding to absences including Ian Maatsen, Matteo Ruggeri and Amadou Onana.
- Viking make their Champions League group‑stage debut buoyed by a 3-3 draw with Bayern and a rich recent scoring run, but they have conceded three goals in each of their two league‑phase matches.
- The result could shape short‑term squad choices for Villa ahead of Saturday’s Manchester City game and influence early group standings as both teams push for a top‑eight position in the competition.