Red Bull Arena braces for a compelling Champions League showdown on Tuesday night as RB Leipzig welcomes Aston Villa. The German side, winless in their European campaign, looks to avoid making unwanted history, while Villa requires just a single point to progress to the playoffs in their debut Champions League season.
Aston Villa's high stakes and recent form
Unai Emery's Villa demonstrated exceptional quality early in their Champions League adventure, recording three straight clean sheets. Their path hit a bump after falling to Club Brugge away and sharing points with Juventus in a scoreless draw at home. The team currently sits on 10 points after five matches, needing only a draw to secure playoff qualification.
Villa's recent domestic success includes victories over Brentford and Southampton, marking a strong recovery from an eight-game winless run. Colombian striker Jhon Duran, despite featuring in just 35% of European matches, leads Villa's Champions League scoring charts with two goals, including a crucial winner against Southampton.
The English side must navigate without injured duo Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey. However, the availability of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and skilled midfielder Morgan Rogers bolsters their chances. Their defensive excellence shines through with just one goal conceded in five group matches.
Leipzig's struggles in Europe
Marco Rose's Leipzig endures a difficult European season, suffering five consecutive defeats against formidable opponents - Atlético Madrid, Juventus, Liverpool, Inter Milan, and Celtic, who handed them a 3-1 loss. These results eliminated them from the competition without a single point.
Their Bundesliga form offers hope, highlighted by a recent 2-0 win over Holstein Kiel that maintains their top-four position. Benjamin Sesko emerges as their European campaign's silver lining, scoring three of Leipzig's four Champions League goals. Antonio Nusa's recent cup performance, delivering three assists, showcases their attacking capabilities.
The hosts face selection headaches with Castello Lukeba, Xavi Simons, Eljif Elmas, Yussuf Poulsen, David Raum, and El Chadaille Bitshiabu all missing from action. These absences complicate their efforts to avoid a sixth straight Champions League defeat.
RB Leipzig vs Aston Villa: Predicted lineups
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi, Geertruida, Seiwald, Orban, Henrichs, Baumgartner, Haidara, Vermeeren, Nusa, Sesko, Openda
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, Philogene, Rogers, McGinn, Watkins
What's on the line?
Leipzig aims to conclude their European campaign with pride intact, while Villa focuses on securing their playoff berth. The match presents Leipzig an opportunity to end their European season positively, as Villa pursues their Champions League journey's next chapter.
The encounter holds significant meaning - Leipzig seeking to avoid an unwanted record and Villa aiming to extend their European adventure.