Club Brugge vs Aston Villa Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
by Alex Lawes ·
Club Brugge Aston Villa renew acquaintances in their league phase opener, having faced off three times in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League campaign.
Kick-off date/time:
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Club Brugge preview: Belgian giants
Belgian giants Club Brugge come into this league phase opener on the back of a slender 1-0 defeat of Lommel in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, sitting second in the table with four victories and a defeat in their five matches so far this season.
In the UEFA Champions League last season, they were beaten 7-4 on aggregate by Atletico Madrid in their knockout play-off round tie. That came after they had been beaten by Aston Villa in the round of 16 in the 2024-25 season.
Aston Villa preview: Tough start again
Once again, as was the case last year and has been the case previously for Unai Emery teams, Aston Villa are enduring a tough start to the season with The Villans winless in their opening four matches across all competitions.
After a UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain and then defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal in the Premier League, Villa were then held to a goalless draw by newly-promoted Hull City at the MKM Stadium at the weekend.
Club Brugge team news: Ordonez out
Following a failed medical at Crystal Palace after a disappointing showing at FIFA World Cup 2026, Ecuador international defender Joel Ordonez is sidelined for their opener.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sommer; Sabbe, Lee, Mechele, Seys; Potts, Vanaken; Vermant, Vetlesen, Diakhon; Tresoldi
Unavailable: Ordonez (Injured)
Questionable:
Aston Villa team news: Manzambi likely still needs time
Unai Emery said that Johan Manzambi may still require time to get full fitness but their big money summer signing has returned to training. Fellow summer signing Joao Gomes has been suspended in the Premier League but is available in Europe.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Gomes; McGinn, Buendia, Mbaye; Jackson
Unavailable: Onana (Injured)
Questionable: Goretzka (Fitness), Manzambi (Fitness), Madjo (Injured)
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa prediction
Club Brugge have been defensively tight in the Belgian top-flight with two goals conceded in five matches and they haven’t been as fluent going forward as one of just four teams in Belgium’s top ten yet to hit double figures for goals. Aston Villa are themselves lacking fluency and much idea or cohesion as to what they would like to do. Unai Emery is a pragmatic coach and a problem solver, expected to find a way through this currently poor phase and, while favourites, it may remain a low-scoring encounter at the Jan Breydel Stadion.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa Tip: Aston Villa to win & under 3.5 goals
