Columbus Crew vs Aston Villa pre-season friendly: Predicted lineups and team news

Aston Villa, fresh off two impressive pre-season victories, is gearing up for their third friendly match against MLS side Columbus Crew on Saturday night. The match, which will take place at Lower.com Field, promises to be an exciting encounter as both teams look to fine-tune their strategies and line-ups.

Aston Villa's pre-season success

Unai Emery's Aston Villa has had a strong start to their pre-season campaign, securing back-to-back 3-0 wins against Walsall and Spartak Trnava. The team, which finished fourth in the Premier League last season and earned a spot in the Champions League group stage, will be looking to continue their winning streak against the Crew.

Despite the absence of several key players, including Jhon Duran, Emiliano Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins, Boubacar Kamara, and Tyrone Mings, Villa's squad has been bolstered by the return of John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, and Ian Maatsen from Euro 2024 duty. New signings such as Amadou Onana, Samuel Iling-Junior, Enzo Barrenechea, Ross Barkley, Jaden Philogene, and Lewis Dobbin are also expected to feature in the match.

Columbus Crew's MLS campaign

Columbus Crew, currently third in the MLS Eastern Conference with 43 points from 23 matches, will provide a formidable challenge for Aston Villa. Despite coming off a 2-1 defeat to Atlanta United, the Crew has had a strong season so far and will look to use this friendly as an opportunity to rotate their line-up and prepare for the upcoming Leagues Cup.

Head coach Wilfried Nancy is expected to field a strong starting XI, although goalkeeper Evan Bush will be absent due to an arm injury. The rest of the squad is reported to be in good shape and ready for the match.

Predicted lineups

Columbus Crew Possible Starting XI:
Hagen, Moreira, Camacho, Cheberko, Farsi, Zawadzki, Matan, Arfsten, Rossi, Hernandez, Ramirez

Aston Villa Possible Starting XI:
Gauci, Cash, Carlos, Torres, Moreno, McGinn, Rogers, Onana, Bailey, Archer, Philogene

First meeting between the two clubs

This friendly marks the first-ever meeting between Aston Villa and Columbus Crew, adding an element of intrigue to the encounter. With both teams at different stages of their respective seasons, the match will provide an opportunity for players to showcase their skills and for managers to assess their squads.

Columbus Crew, deep into their MLS campaign, may look to leverage their physical superiority, while Aston Villa will aim to continue their winning streak and build momentum ahead of the new Premier League season.

Match details and broadcast information

The match is set to kick off at 1 am BST on Sunday for fans in the UK and will be broadcast live on Villa TV. As both teams prepare for the challenges ahead, this friendly promises to be an engaging and informative encounter for players, managers, and fans alike.

With Aston Villa's pre-season tour of the United States continuing with matches against RB Leipzig and Club America, and Columbus Crew gearing up for the Leagues Cup, this friendly will provide valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of both squads as they navigate their respective journeys in the world of football.