Barcelona vs Aston Villapredicted line-ups, prediction and how to watch

Predicted line-ups, prediction and how to watch for Barcelona vs Aston Villa: everything you need to know before the game.

Barcelona host Aston Villa at the Spotify Camp Nou on Tuesday 3 November, with kick-off at 14:00 Mexico City time, in Matchday 4 of the Champions League league phase.

The Catalans sit eighth on six points. Unai Emery's side are second on nine.

Match preview

Barcelona arrive off the back of mixed results. They beat Alaves 6-1 on 31 October, after losing 2-1 to Real Madrid on 25 October. Before that, they fell 4-2 at Paris Saint-Germain in this competition.

Hansi Flick's side have won three and lost two of their last five, scoring 18 and conceding 10. They attack in numbers, but they also leak goals.

At home they have played just one league-phase game and won it 5-1. On their travels they have a win (4-1 at Galatasaray) and a defeat (Paris), with six goals scored and five conceded.

<cite index="1-6">Lamine Yamal and Raphinha come in on a high after their recent braces.</cite> <cite index="5-4">Yamal could set a new record for Champions League goals by a teenager, as he is currently level with Kylian Mbappe on 13.</cite>

<cite index="1-5">Villa, the reigning Europa League winners, have won all three of their Champions League games.</cite> <cite index="1-7">They have scored 12 goals in those matches.</cite> They have conceded three, giving them a goal difference of +9.

Emery's men have won both home games by an aggregate of 9-1. They won their only away fixture 3-2.

Domestically, Villa drew 1-1 with Fulham on 31 October. Three days earlier, they lost 3-0 at Bournemouth in the League Cup. Before that came wins over Manchester City (2-1), Viking (3-1) and Newcastle (1-0).

<cite index="5-3">Emiliano Buendia has scored in each of his last four major European appearances, netting four goals.</cite> <cite index="1-8">Nicolas Jackson is expected to be the focal point of the attack.</cite>

<cite index="13-5">This is the first meeting between the clubs since the 1982 European Super Cup, which the English side won.</cite> There are no other recent meetings in our data.

Barca are eighth out of 36 teams and need points to avoid slipping down the table. Villa want to keep their perfect European record intact at one of the toughest grounds in the competition.

Team news

<cite index="1-9,1-10">Defence is Flick's biggest problem. Xavi Espart has an ankle injury that could keep him out until December.</cite> Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo and Roony Bardghji are also missing.

Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde are doubts. <cite index="9-6">Both are back in training, but are unlikely to be risked.</cite> Projections differ at the back, with Gerard Martin at centre-back in some and at left-back, with Marc Bernal inside, in others.

Sports Illustrated predict a 4-2-3-1 for Barcelona: Joan Garcia; Cancelo, Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Balde; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; Gabriel Jesus. Other outlets have Anthony Gordon in attack.

Villa are without Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Amadou Onana and Matteo Ruggeri through injury. The projected XI is Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Pau Torres, Maatsen; Joao Gomes, Barkley; McGinn, Buendia, Alysson; Jackson. The shape varies by source.

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