Ready for the final tune-up! Aston Villa is wrapping up their pre-season preparations with a highly anticipated friendly match against Villarreal this Sunday. The game takes place at El Madrigal, a familiar ground for Villa's manager, Unai Emery. Both teams are just a week away from kicking off their 2025-26 campaigns after a busy summer schedule.
After a stellar performance last season that saw them finish sixth in the league and make deep runs in cup competitions, Aston Villa is eager to build on that success. The Birmingham-based club has managed to hold on to their key players despite persistent transfer rumors while adding some new talent to the squad that reached the Champions League quarter-finals.
Villa started their pre-season with two losses, fielding a young lineup against Walsall and Hansa Rostock. However, they quickly found their form, going unbeaten on their U.S. tour with draws against Eintracht Frankfurt and Nashville and a solid 2-1 win over St. Louis City. They continued their strong run with an impressive victory against Roma, with goals from Jacob Ramsey, Ollie Watkins, and a standout strike from Emi Buendia. Donyell Malen also impressed, scoring a late goal to cap off a promising performance.
Now, Villa heads to one of Emery’s former clubs before their Premier League opener against Newcastle United. Emery, a master of the Europa League, will be looking to add to his impressive collection of titles. Meanwhile, Villarreal, led by coach Marcelino, is also preparing for a big season, having finished fifth in La Liga and securing a spot in the Champions League.
Villarreal's pre-season has been packed with tests against European opponents, including draws against Leeds United and a confidence-boosting 3-2 victory over Arsenal in London. As they head into their final friendly, they'll be hoping to secure a win at home.
While speculation surrounds the future of key players like Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Emiliano Martinez, and captain John McGinn, they are all expected to be involved in Sunday's match. Emery is set to name a strong starting lineup, potentially featuring former Villarreal player Pau Torres, but he may also give some minutes to younger players like Samuel Iling-Junior and Jamal Jimoh.
On the injury front, Ross Barkley and Andres Garcia are out, while Alex Moreno and Leander Dendoncker are available for transfer. For Villarreal, the team has been hit with several injury setbacks. Defender Logan Costa is out for most of the season with an ACL injury, and Willy Kambwala will miss several weeks with a hamstring tear. The departure of veteran defender Raul Albiol has left them a bit short at the back, but new signings Rafa Marin and Santiago Mourino are ready to step in.
