Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv: predicted line-up, team news and match preview
Aston Villa will take on Maccabi Tel Aviv at home on Thursday night in their fourth match of the league phase in this season’s Europa League.
Villa won their first two Europa League matches against Bologna and Feyenoord but were handed a shock defeat by Go Ahead Eagles on matchday three last month.
Having lost their most recent matches in both the Premier League and the Europa League, Villa need to show us what they’ve got on Thursday night.
Unnecessary. Unwanted. Unwelcome.
This match should not be happening. Whatever your view on the geopolitical context, UEFA’s failure to make a decision on the participation of Israeli teams in European football (yes, European football) hung cities like Birmingham out to dry.
The luck of the draw brought Maccabi Tel Aviv to Aston. UEFA’s atrocious dereliction of duty allowed it to happen. Birmingham, Villa and Villa supporters will bear the consequences.
Villa Park will be at the centre of multiple demonstrations and a colossal police operation thanks to the unwelcome interference of senior politicians. The match has been hijacked by parasites of all stripes, many using Villa to mask their agendas.
This should not have been Birmingham’s problem. Remember that when we’re on the front pages on Friday morning.
Villa team news
The biggest Villa injury update is that Tyrone Mings is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the calendar year as a result of the hamstring injury that saw him limp off against Liverpool on Saturday.
Teammate Youri Tielemans is unlikely to return before the November international break, while Andrés García is still injured and Ross Barkley ineligible having not been named in Villa’s Europa League squad.
The only real question mark for the Maccabi Tel Aviv match is Emi Buendía, who went off injured in the first half against Manchester City and was unavailable against Liverpool on Saturday night.
Emery hinted before the trip to Anfield that Buendía could be available for Thursday night’s Europa League tie.
Villa predicted line-up v Maccabi Tel Aviv
The Villa manager has used both of his goalkeepers in the Europa League this season but has, perhaps surprisingly, stuck with Emiliano Martínez when he’s been available.
Marco Bizot probably should have kept his place in European matches after his performance against Feyenoord. I think he should be in the team on Thursday so I guess I’m trying to will it into being.
Elsewhere, I’m having a punt on Emery reinstating the left flank that showed some promise early in the Go Ahead Eagles match. Ian Maatsen linking up with Jadon Sancho is a partnership that’s offered some positive signs and looked handy in Deventer with Amadou Onana in support.
My guess is that the Villa boss will keep the rest of his back four intact in light of Mings’ injury but bring Lamare Bogarde into midfield with John McGinn moving and Evann Guessand dropping to the bench.
It’ll probably be Donyell Malen rather than Bogarde but what’s life if it’s not lived on the edge?
Where to watch Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv
Villa’s home game against Maccabi Tel Aviv will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 and Discovery+ in the UK.
Read more ➡️ How to watch Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv: kick-off time, TV channels and streams
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