BSC Young Boys and Aston Villa will look to kick-start their UEFA Champions League campaigns when they clash at Wankdorf Stadium on Tuesday.
The UEFA Champions League is back with its new format, which does not have a group stage and will introduce a league phase instead. Each team will face eight opponents without repeating the opposition again, with all 36 clubs vying for the top 16 spots, and Thursday will also feature games this season. The action gets underway with two early kick-offs, including Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven and BSC Young Boys vs Aston Villa.
BSC Young Boys had to take the scenic route to reach the UEFA Champions League league phase after winning the Swiss Super League last season, beating Galatasaray 4-2 on aggregate in the playoffs. However, the Swiss champions have been disappointing thus far this term, failing to win a league game in six outings thus far and sitting in the 12th spot in the standings.
As for Aston Villa, the Villans have blown hot and cold in the early days of the 2024/25 season, although they have lost only one game thus far. Unai Emery’s men, who qualified for the UEFA Champions League by finishing fourth in the top flight last term, have failed to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League, although their attackers have looked impressive in the first month of the new campaign.
Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League tie will be the first-ever match featuring BSC Young Boys and Aston Villa. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the maiden meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
BSC Young Boys
Patrick Rahmen has several injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s first UEFA Champions League match of the 2024/25 season. The BSC Young Boys manager will be bereft of the services of six first-team players vs Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Facinet Conte will not play again this season as he recovers from a long-term knee injury. In addition, Abdu Conte (muscular), Patric Pfeiffer (hip), Saidy Janko (unspecified), Loris Benito (ACL), and Lukasz Lakomy (leg) are on the sidelines.
David von Ballmoos will take his spot between the sticks, with BSC Young Boys lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Aston Villa. The backline should feature Lewin Blum, Mohamed Camara, Tanguy Zokrou, and Jaouen Hadjam.
As for the midfield unit, Sandro Lauper and Cheick Niasse will pair up in the double pivot, aiming to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Filip Ugrinic will reprise the no. 10 role, with Joel Monteiro and Ebrima Colley being the two wide attackers. Finally, Silvere Ganvoula should lead the line for the home side against Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Von Ballmoos; Blum, Camara, Zoukrou, Hadjam; Lauper, Niasse; Monteiro, Ugrinic, Colley; Ganvoula
Aston Villa
Like his counterpart in the BSC Young Boys dugout, Unai Emery has an issue to deal with ahead of the trip to the Wankdorf Stadium. The Aston Villa manager will be without six first-team players on Tuesday.
Leon Bailey is the most notable absentee, with the Jamaican international still recovering from a hamstring injury. Robin Olsen (head), Matty Cash (thigh), and Jaden Philogene (match fitness) will return before September ends. Meanwhile, Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara have resumed training and will be available soon.
Emiliano Martinez is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Aston Villa lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs BSC Young Boys. The backline should feature Kosta Nedeljkovic, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Ian Maatsen.
As for the midfield unit, Amadou Onana will pair up with compatriot Youri Tielemans in the double pivot. Jacob Ramsey should reprise the no. 10 role, with John McGinn and Morgan Rogers being the two wide attackers. Finally, Ollie Watkins should spearhead the Aston Villa attack against Young Boys, with Jhon Duran an option on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Nedeljkovic, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; McGinn, Ramsey, Rogers; Watkins
Key Stats
- Swiss teams have only won seven of their previous 24 meetings with English sides in the UEFA Champions League (D6 L11), with FC Basel achieving six of those seven victories (one by BSC Young Boys).
- Speaking of the hosts, they have only won one of their previous six games against English opponents in the Champions League (D1 L4), losing home and away to Manchester City in the competition last season. Their only victory over an English outfit came in September 2021, winning 2-1 at home to Manchester United.
- The most recent home match in the UEFA Champions League ended in a 2-0 win over Crvena Zvezda for Young Boys. Only once before have they won consecutive home games in the competition – 2-1 vs Juventus and Manchester United between 2018 and 2021.
- Unai Emery’s last outing in the UEFA Champions League was in May 2022, with his Villarreal side eliminated 2-5 on aggregate against Liverpool in the semi-finals (0-2 away, 2-3 at home). That semi-final appearance was the current Aston Villa manager’s best-ever finish in a single season in the competition.
- Meschack Elia scored in two of Young Boys’ three home games in the UEFA Champions League last season (vs RB Leipzig and Manchester City), netting half of their goals at the Wankdorf Stadium in the competition in 2023/24 (2/4).
Player to Watch
Ollie Watkins
Jhon Duran was a candidate for this section after his recent exploits off the bench. Meschack Elia was also an option after his performances for BSC Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League last season. However, we have zeroed in on Ollie Watkins as our Player to Watch.
Watkins was excellent in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa Conference League, scoring five goals, the joint-most by an Aston Villa player in a major European campaign (level with Gary Shaw in the 1982/83 European Cup and John Deehan in the 1977/78 UEFA Cup). The Englishman will aim to continue that on the biggest stage for Aston Villa vs BSC Young Boys this midweek.
Prediction
BSC Young Boys 1-2 Aston Villa
Heading into the group stage, one might have felt that Tuesday’s match was a battle of the equals. However, with BSC Young Boys struggling for wins in the Swiss Super League, they might not be up to the required levels vs Aston Villa this midweek.
The Villans also have their struggles, considering they have been unconvincing at the back thus far this season. So, BSC Young Boys should find enough opportunities to exploit in the final third. However, the away side will have enough quality to eke out a narrow victory, with The Hard Tackle predicting a 2-1 win for Unai Emery and his charges.