Young Boys will welcome Aston Villa to Wankdorf Stadium in their UEFA Champions League campaign opener on Tuesday. The hosts booked their place in the group stage after defeating Galatasaray in the playoffs while Villa will make their debut in the latest version of the competition.
After suffering consecutive defeats in their first three games of the season, Young Boys have enjoyed a seven-game unbeaten streak. They played Vevey-Sports in their first game back since the international break last week and recorded a 4-2 away win in the Swiss Cup, scoring two goals in either half.
The visitors have enjoyed a good start to their season and have won three of their four Premier League outings. They resumed their league campaign after the international break with a 3-2 comeback home win over Everton on Saturday. Ollie Watkins bagged a brace and Jhon Duran scored the winning goal in the second half.
Young Boys vs Aston Villa Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams will square off for the first time. The hosts have met English teams 12 times in European competitions, winning just twice, whereas Villa have met Swiss teams four times, winning twice.
- Young Boys registered just one win in the group stage of the Champions League last season, with that triumph coming against Red Star Belgrade.
- Young Boys have registered just one home win in the Champions League group stage against English teams, with that triumph coming against Manchester United in the 2021-22 campaign.
- Aston Villa have won their two away games this season with a scoreline of 2-1.
- Villa have lost just one of their four meetings against Swiss teams in all competitions.
- Young Boys have registered just one win in their four home games across all competitions this season, conceding two goals apiece in three.
Young Boys vs Aston Villa Prediction
The hosts head into the match on a seven-game unbeaten streak, recording four wins, and will look to build on that form. They have conceded at least two goals in five of their last six group-stage games in the Champions League and will look to improve upon that record.
The Villans have won three of their four games this season, scoring seven goals, and will look to continue their goalscoring form in this match. While they are playing for the first time in the Champions League, Unai Emery has a lot of experience in the competition and should be able to guide his team well here.
Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings, and Matty Cash remain unavailable through injuries but Leon Bailey has traveled with the squad and could return to the bench.
While both teams head into the match in good form, considering Villa's advantage in terms of squad quality and Young Boys' poor record in the group stage, the visitors are expected to eke out a narrow win.
Prediction: Young Boys 1-2 Aston Villa
Young Boys vs Aston Villa Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Aston Villa to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least one goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Jhon Durán to score or assist any time - Yes