Unai Emery could make several changes to his Aston Villa starting XI against Club Brugge on Tuesday as the club begin their 2026/27 Champions League campaign in Belgium.
Villa travel to the Jan Breydel Stadium still searching for momentum after Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Hull City extended their winless Premier League start.
Emery kept faith with several established players at the MKM Stadium, with £47million Deadline Day signing Ibrahim Mbaye surprisingly remaining unused.
However, the Champions League opener could provide the perfect opportunity to unleash the former Paris Saint-Germain winger.
Our Aston Villa predicted XI vs Club Brugge features Mbaye from the start alongside fellow summer arrival Alejandro Garnacho, while João Gomes returns to midfield.
Supporters can find the broadcast details, kick-off time and latest availability information in our complete Club Brugge vs Aston Villa match guide.
Aston Villa predicted XI vs Club Brugge
Formation: 4-2-3-1
GK: Zion Suzuki
Suzuki should retain his position after starting each of Villa’s opening three Premier League matches.
The £29.9m summer arrival kept his first league clean sheet for the club against Hull and remains Emery’s clear first-choice goalkeeper.
RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
This would represent our first defensive change.
Matty Cash performed well at Hull and was one of Villa’s more threatening players before being replaced by Wan-Bissaka in the 85th minute.
However, Emery may use the Champions League opener to give the former Manchester United defender his first Villa start.
Wan-Bissaka’s one-on-one defensive ability could also prove useful against a Club Brugge side possessing significant pace in wide areas.
CB: Victor Lindelöf
Lindelöf has started all three Premier League fixtures and should remain at the heart of the defence.
The Sweden international’s experience of Champions League football also makes him a logical choice for Villa’s European opener.
CB: Pau Torres
Pau could return after Tyrone Mings started alongside Lindelöf at Hull.
There is one selection certainty in this position.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis cannot feature after being omitted from Villa’s 23-man Champions League squad.
Emery has already explained why the £30m Deadline Day signing was left out of his European group.
That leaves Pau, Mings and Lindelöf as Villa’s senior central defensive options.
LB: Ian Maatsen
Matteo Ruggeri replaced Maatsen after 75 minutes at Hull, but we expect the Netherlands international to retain his starting place.
His speed could be particularly valuable if Emery adopts a more aggressive approach in Belgium.
João Gomes can return for Aston Villa in Europe
CM: Boubacar Kamara
Kamara is perhaps the easiest midfield selection.
UEFA recently singled the Frenchman out as Villa’s key player, with our analysis showing the remarkable difference in Villa’s results when Kamara starts.
He has started all three league matches and should again anchor the midfield.
CM: João Gomes
This is where Emery has an opportunity to make an important change.
Gomes has been unavailable domestically because of suspension, forcing Ross Barkley into the starting XI against Hull.
That Premier League suspension does not prevent the Brazilian from playing in the Champions League.
Gomes is included in Villa’s European squad and should therefore be available for Tuesday’s fixture.
His return would immediately give Emery more intensity alongside Kamara and potentially allow Villa to press Club Brugge higher up the pitch.
Leon Goretzka is another option after joining Villa on a free transfer, but the German was absent from the matchday squad at Hull despite Emery previously suggesting he would travel.
Until there is further clarity over that absence, Gomes looks the safer prediction.
Ibrahim Mbaye deserves first Aston Villa start
RW: Ibrahim Mbaye
This is the biggest call.
Mbaye was named among Villa’s substitutes against Hull but did not get onto the pitch.
That decision was particularly surprising given Villa’s ongoing attacking problems and the £47m investment made to sign the teenager from Paris Saint-Germain.
We highlighted the selection call in our confirmed Aston Villa XI against Hull after George Hemmings retained his place ahead of the Senegal international.
Hemmings justified Emery’s faith.
The academy prospect registered Villa’s first Premier League shot on target of the campaign and produced an excellent low cross which Emiliano Buendía should have converted.
That makes dropping him harsh.
However, Villa signed Mbaye to provide explosiveness, direct running and creativity in precisely these types of matches.
Tuesday could finally bring his full debut.
AM: John McGinn
McGinn should retain the captain’s armband and central attacking role.
The Scotland international missed a good opportunity against Hull but remains one of Emery’s most trusted players.
His experience will also be important against opponents who have lost just three of their last 22 UEFA home matches, as explored in our Club Brugge form and scouting guide.
LW: Alejandro Garnacho
Garnacho made his latest appearance from the bench at Hull, replacing Buendía after 75 minutes.
We expect Emery to make the switch from the start in Bruges.
Villa desperately need more penetration around Nicolas Jackson, and pairing Garnacho with Mbaye would give Emery genuine speed on both sides of his attack.
Buendía remains a strong option after getting into promising positions at Hull, but his glaring second-half miss summed up Villa’s early-season frustration.
Nicolas Jackson keeps his place despite goal drought
ST: Nicolas Jackson
There should be no change at centre-forward.
Jackson has yet to score his first competitive Villa goal, but the £65m signing has received limited service across the opening weeks of the campaign.
He still managed to create one of Villa’s best opportunities at Hull, flicking the ball into McGinn’s path inside the penalty area.
The wider attacking numbers improved significantly on Saturday.
Villa generated 1.93 expected goals at Hull according to FotMob, having struggled to create chances across their opening two league fixtures.
Our earlier analysis of Aston Villa’s xG and ongoing goal drought showed why the improvement in chance creation matters despite another blank.
Jackson should receive another opportunity to turn those chances into goals in Belgium.
Could Johan Manzambi return against Club Brugge?
The major unknown is Johan Manzambi.
Emery confirmed before the Hull match that the club-record signing was progressing in his recovery from a knee injury and could potentially return against either Club Brugge or Nottingham Forest.
That makes Tuesday a realistic target.
However, predicting Manzambi from the start would be aggressive considering he has yet to feature competitively for Villa following his £59.5m arrival from Freiburg.
If he is declared fit, the 20-year-old could instead become one of Emery’s most dangerous options from the bench.
The Monday press conference and final training session should provide considerably more clarity.
For now, we expect Emery to introduce Gomes, Mbaye, Garnacho, Wan-Bissaka and Pau as Villa search for the attacking spark missing from their opening Premier League games.
Aston Villa predicted XI vs Club Brugge
Suzuki; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelöf, Pau Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, João Gomes; Mbaye, McGinn, Garnacho; Jackson.
