Aston Villa team news vs Young Boys confirmed as Unai Emery names first Champions League XI
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has named his starting XI to take on BSC Young Boys in the Champions League this evening (5:45pm kick-off).
He has named an unchanged the side which started against Everton last weekend as Ollie Watkins leads the line fresh after scoring a brace at Villa Park. Matchwinner Jhon Duran stays on the bench, while Leon Bailey returns to the squad, but Jaden Philogene misses out.
From back to front, Emi Martinez starts in front of a back four made up of Lamare Bogarde, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres and Lucas Digne. Amadou Onana starts with compatriot Youri Tielemans in the double pivot as John McGinn plays from the right and Ramsey on the left with Morgan Rogers supporting Watkins up front.
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Opponents Young Boys have made a slow start to the campaign and currently sit bottom of the Swiss Super League, but still managed to see off Turkish campions Galatasaray home and away to advance into the league phase. The Wankdorf Stadium has an artificial playing surface, so Villa trained on it last night to get used to the different conditions.
Young Boys were knocked out of the Champions League group stage last season after winning only one match at home, against Crvena zvezda. They’ve not won successive Champions League matches at the Wankdorf Stadium for several years.
Villa starting XI vs Young Boys: Martinez, Bogarde, Konsa, Pau, Digne, Onana, Tielemans, McGinn, Ramsey, Rogers, Watkins.
Subs: Gauci, Zych, Nedeljkovic, Maatsen, Carlos, Swinkels, Young, Barkley, Buendia, Bailey, Duran.
Young Boys XI vs Villa: Van Ballmoos, Athekame, Camara, Zoukrou, Hadjam, Colley, Niasse, Lauper, Monteiro, Ugrinic, Ganvoula.
Subs: Keller, Marzino, Lakaomy, Itten, Imeri, Chaiwa, Elia, Virginius, Abdu Conte, Benito, Blum, Males.