Aston Villa v FC Salzburg Pre-match

[olaftab]

What: Europa League Match day 8
Where: Villa Park
When: Thursday 29 January 2026, Kick Off 20:00

Salzburg are struggling in the Europa League having lost 5 out of 7 so far and they will not progress to the knockout stage. So it's a dead match for them but we still need to win to secure a top 2 finish. No doubt we will rest a few players. Rogers should be rested and Youri is likely to be out due to injury. Would like to see Hemmings playing full 90 mins.

At the weekend Salzburg had a rest. They last played on 22 Jan and won  3-1 versus Basel and are top of the Bundesliga, so no mugs.

[RamboandBruno]

They have to win to try and get in the play offs for the round of 16, we have to win to try and stay in the top 2 and have home games second in the knock out rounds.

Bizot
Cash
Lindelof
Mings
Digne
Onana (if were comfortable get him off and wrap him up)
Bogarde
Beundia
Watkins
Rogers
Sancho

[RamboandBruno]

3-1 (Watkins, Rogers, Onana)

[cdbearsfan]

Would like to rest key players but not sure we have a big enough squad to do so wholesale. Would pick Bizot, Garcia, Lindelof, Hemmings and Guessand. Can't risk Onana as we have too few central midfielders.

[Brazilian Villain]

Draw, 1-1.

[Legion]

4-0

[Brend'Watkins]

None of our regular starters should start this match. We have replacements in all positions so go with those if it isn’t achieving the victory we bring on the heavy guns. Yesterday has encouraged me in as much that the whole squad are bought into the system with not much drop off in performance. Yes, there may be a drop in individual level of quality but that’s to be expected.

[AV82EC]

Ideal chance to hopefully manage minutes for some players.

Bizot

Garcia
Lindelof
Mings
Digne

Onana
Bogarde

Sancho
Rogers
Buendia

Watkins

As soon as we’re 2-0 up get Onana and Rogers off. Hemmings and Jimoh Aloba to see it out.

Already looking forward to Fridays draw.

[usav]

Salzburg are struggling in the Europa League having lost 5 out of 7 so far and they will not progress to the knockout stage.

That's not accurate, is it?  If they win, they will be on 9 points, the lowest team in a knock-out place right now is on 8 points.  There are several other teams on 9 points with similar goal difference.

I would like it if the game meant nothing to them, but it doesn't appear that is the case.

[PeterWithesShin]

8-0

[cdbearsfan]

Salzburg are struggling in the Europa League having lost 5 out of 7 so far and they will not progress to the knockout stage.

That's not accurate, is it?  If they win, they will be on 9 points, the lowest team in a knock-out place right now is on 8 points.  There are several other teams on 9 points with similar goal difference.

I would like it if the game meant nothing to them, but it doesn't appear that is the case.

Yeah, they need help elsewhere but they definitely have a chance of qualification if they win.

[brontebilly]

Are Bailey and Tammy cup tied? Don't think we have any option but to ring the changes and leave the cavalry in reserve.

Bizot, Garcia, Lindelof, Mings, Digne, Bogarde, Sancho, Hemmings, Elliot, Guessand, Watkins

[cdbearsfan]

There is no "cup tied" any more, but neither would be eligible to play until the knockout stages as we have to stick to the squad we selected at the start of the League Stage until its conclusion.

[olaftab]

I would say they have very low to zero chance of qualifying.

[cdbearsfan]

If they win and Young Boys lose at Stuttgart, Ludogorets fail to beat Nice, Feyenoord fail to win at Betis and Basel fail to beat Plzen, they probably qualify.

None of those sound completely outlandish possibilities. Certainly, there's more than enough reason for them to at least give it a go. Even if there wasn't the prize money means makes it worthwhile trying to win, anyway.