Aston Villa v Young Boys: predicted line-up, team news and match preview

Aston Villa will continue their Europa League quest with a home fixture against Swiss Super League side BSC Young Boys on Thursday.

Villa have won three of their four league phase matches in this season’s Europa League and positive results from here on in are essential if they’re to claim a spot in the top eight or even top two of the massive mono-table. Nine points put them in sixth place after four matches, with another four to play.

Unai Emery is targeting the top eight and wins over Bologna, Feyenoord and Maccabi Tel Aviv have given his team a platform to go on and achieve it. Finishing in the top two would be advantageous but winning the remaining home fixtures are a must, whatever the ultimate objective.

Renewed acquaintances

Villa have encountered Young Boys in Europe before. They travelled to Bern to get their Champions League campaign underway with a 3-0 win last season but their opponents represent a different challenge now.

Young Boys have had several changes of head coach since then, most recently re-appointing Gerardo Seoane. They are 22nd in the Europa League table thanks to two wins and two defeats in their first four matches.

They finished third in the Super League in 2024/25 and are currently second, six points behind leaders Thun.

Young Boys have scored 30 goals in 14 league matches this season, with nine apiece coming from Christian Fassnacht and Chris Bedia. Both scored again at the weekend.

Villa team news

Villa have a relatively clean bill of health with two games to come in the next few days.

Andrés García is understood to be on the path back to full fitness but the latest substantial update from Emery was a few weeks ago. Tyrone Mings is out until injured the end of the year.

The only other player unlikely to feature for injury reasons is Amadou Onana, who returned from international duty with a knock and missed Sunday’s win at Leeds United.

Onana is expected to be available soon but his injury status with a Premier League match to come likely means he’ll sit this one out too.

Villa predicted line-up v Young Boys

It’s near enough impossible to guess at Emery’s Europa League team selections when most of his players are fit and available, but let’s have a crack anyway.

My predicted team line-up is based primarily on some things I think Emery would like to achieve, including having Donyell Malen on the pitch and deploying Lamare Bogarde in order to rest midfielders.

Ian Maatsen has started all four Europa League matches. I expect that to continue, and for Emery to link him up with Jadon Sancho again on the left flank.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Victor Lindelöf at right-back but my guess is Emery would prefer to rest Ezri Konsa than Matty Cash on this occasion.

Where to watch Villa v Young Boys

Villa’s home game against Young Boys will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 and Discovery+ in the UK.

Read more ➡️ How to watch Aston Villa v Young Boys: kick-off time, TV channels and streams

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