Aston Villa will play their first Champions League match at Villa Park in over four decades as they take on six-time winners Bayern Munich. The Villans take on the Germany giants having had a positive start to the season, despite a disappointing result last time out with a draw against Ipswich Town.
Head-to-head record
These two teams have met only once in their long and illustrious histories, and it was a very famous meeting. On 26th May 1982, Aston Villa faced Bayern Munich in the final of the Champions League (formerly called the European Cup) in Rotterdam.
In those days, the only team that would qualify from each nation was the team that won the domestic top-flight in the previous season. Villa won the English top division in 1981 and therefore qualified for the European Cup. In a much different format to the one we see today, Villa made it through four two-legged affairs to reach the final.
Courtesy of a goal from Peter Withe and an outstanding display from Aston Villa reserve keeper Nigel Spink, Villa made history by winning their first European Cup trophy. To this day, that wonderful night in Holland is celebrated regularly and no doubt there will be several references to that match when the two teams clash for the second time on Wednesday night.
Bayern Munich's blistering start to the season
The winners of the German Bundesliga 31 times, Bayern Munich have had an impressive start to the new season. Last season saw Germany's biggest club have their domestic crown taken from them as Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen made history by winning the Bundesliga for the first time.
Bayern's early season form suggests they are not in the mood to face domestic humiliation again. Winning four of the first five games, drawing only with Leverkusen, and scoring 17 goals in the process has been a statement of intent from Harry Kane's side. Scoring five or more goals in a match on three separate ocassions already this season in all competitions, Villa's struggling defence will have to play the match of their lives if they are to keep out Bayern's incredible attack.
One of the matches that saw Bayern score more than five goals was their opening Champions League fixture. Whilst Villa got off to a roaring start with a 3-0 win over BSC Young Boys, Bayern topped that by firing in nine goals at home to Dinamo Zagreb. Harry Kane scored four of those nine goals and has 12 goals already this season for club and country.
The German outfit sit top of both the Champions League and Bundesliga tables and will relish the opportunity to face an English side so early on in the competition. Since the 2014/15 season, Bayern have faced an English opponent in the Champions League 18 times, winning 61% of those and losing just four times.
Team news
Aston Villa will be without captain John McGinn, as they were for Sunday's trip to Portman Road. It was no coincidence that Villa struggled to get a grip of the game in midfield in McGinn's absence and he is not expected to return for another few weeks.
It is yet unclear whether Matty Cash will be available following his four-week absence with a thigh injury. Cash has previously said to be working hard to return to full fitness ahead of this game as he 'couldn't miss the Bayern game'. After a few weeks out with injury, it is unlikely that he would start the game, despite Villa's right-back issues, but we may see him take a place on the bench.
For Bayern Munich, Harry Kane remains a doubt after suffering an ankle injury in the draw with Leverkusen at the weekend. Kane has himself said that the injury is 'painful, but not too bad' and expects to be fit to play.
January signing Sacha Boey will miss the trip to Villa Park with a knee injury, whilst long-term absentees Tarek Buchmann, Arijon Ibrahimovic and Hiroki Ito will also miss out.
Key players to watch
For Aston Villa, Ollie Watkins has started to hit form. After a slow start to the season, the former Brentford forward has scored a flurry of goals in his last few games and is starting to look near his best. His goal and assist against Ipswich Town on Sunday once again showed his ability to both score goals and create chances for teammates, and Bayern will have to work hard to limit his opportunities.
The issue for Aston Villa so far this season has been in defence. Conceding ten goals and keeping only one clean sheet from their opening eight matches across all competitions so far this season, it has been a worrying start for Villa in terms of keeping goals out. Playing against a Bayern team that scores goals for fun, Emi Martinez will need to be on top form if Villa are to stand any chance of getting a result from this game. The Yashin Trophy winner has been dealt some criticism early on this season, and he will be disappointed with some of the goals he has conceded, but he is a world class keeper more than capable of stepping up when his team needs him most.
For Bayern Munich, Joshua Kimmich is a player well-known for his ability to dominate the midfield and create goalscoring opportunities. The German captain, capped 93 times by his country, usually holds the key to opposition defensive lines. Calm on the ball, brilliant at reading the game and a true leader in midfield, the 29-year-old is one of the best in world football. Your Tielemans and Amadou Onana will have a tough evening in store and will want to stamp their authority early on in the proceedings.
Bayern's passing network from the last 3 games shows a balanced formation with extensive connectivity.
β Earl (@ππ©ππ π¦π°πΌππ) (@AVFCscout) September 30, 2024
#6 Kimmich stands out as the key orchestrator, featuring in 7 of the top 10 passing combinations and leading Bayern in attempted, completed, and progressive passes this season. pic.twitter.com/OnRie7s81o
The Aston Villa players and fans know Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, very well. England's all-time leading goal scorer scored 213 Premier League goals for Tottenham Hotspur before deciding to embark on a new challenge in Germany in the summer of 2023. Brilliant in the air, good at holding the ball up and having a natural gift of hitting the back of the net, Kane will cause Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa plenty of problems. Kane has scored nine goals against Aston Villa in the past, and he will be tipped to add to that tally after making a fantastic start to the season.
Predicted line-ups
Aston Villa: Martinez, Nedeljkovic, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Onana, Tielemans, Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey, Watkins
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Guerrerio, Upamecano, Kim, Davies, Kimmich, Pavlovic, Olise, Musiala, Gnabry, Kane
Match prediction
This will be Villa's toughest challenge yet this season. Villa lost 2-0 at Villa Park to Arsenal in August but played magnificently. Should they repeat that level of performance agaisnt a team of similar quality in Bayern Munich, and with Ollie Watkins now fit and firing, then they stand a very good chance of getting a result. I am going to be positive and say that under the lights at Villa Park, the Holte End faithful will create an electric atmosphere and it will be a special evening.
Aston Villa 2-1 Bayern Munich (Watkins, Bailey)
UTV