Overview
- The friendly is scheduled to kick off at 2:30pm BST on Saturday, August 15, at Ista‑Borussia Park in Mönchengladbach and will serve as the last warm‑up before domestic seasons begin.
- Borussia Mönchengladbach arrive unbeaten in pre‑season after seven straight wins under Eugen Polanski but will be without key defenders Jens Castrop, Yukhym Konoplya and Fabio Chiarodia because of surgery and ongoing injuries.
- Aston Villa travel three days after their 2-1 UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint‑Germain with Brian Madjo sidelined until at least September, João Gomes out for two to four weeks, and Amadou Onana still a long‑term absentee.
- Aston Villa have confirmed all 2026 pre‑season games will be shown on the club's VillaTV service, though some regional listings name beIN SPORTS Xtra or Fubo as alternative streams for certain territories.
- Managers are expected to use the game to manage post‑World Cup workloads and give fringe and academy players meaningful minutes, with the match offering an early sign of readiness for the opening domestic fixtures.