Unai Emery has several major selection decisions to make as Aston Villa begin their 2026/27 Champions League campaign against Club Brugge tonight, but the final team-news picture is now much clearer.
Leon Goretzka and Johan Manzambi will both miss the trip to Belgium, while João Gomes is available despite his domestic suspension.
That leaves Emery with an intriguing call in attack. £47million Deadline Day signing Ibrahim Mbaye is pushing for his first Villa start, but George Hemmings’ performance against Hull City has strengthened the academy prospect’s case to keep his place.
Our updated Aston Villa predicted XI vs Club Brugge therefore features Hemmings rather than Mbaye, with Gomes returning alongside Boubacar Kamara in midfield.
Supporters can find the kick-off time, broadcast information and latest availability news 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 remain in goal after recording his first Premier League clean sheet for Villa against Hull.
The £29.9million summer arrival has started all three league matches and there is little reason for Emery to make a change for the Champions League opener.
RB: Matty Cash
Our original prediction had Aaron Wan-Bissaka making his first Villa start, but Cash now looks the safer selection.
The Poland international was one of Villa’s more threatening players at Hull before being replaced late on and provides Emery with continuity in a difficult European away fixture.
UEFA’s latest Matchday One prediction also has Cash retaining his position.
CB: Victor Lindelöf
Lindelöf has started every Premier League fixture and should continue at centre-back.
His Champions League experience is another advantage for a Villa side containing several players making their first European appearance for the club.
CB: Pau Torres
Pau could return after Tyrone Mings partnered Lindelöf against Hull.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis cannot feature after being omitted from Villa’s European squad, as explained in our full Aston Villa Champions League squad guide.
That leaves Lindelöf, Pau and Mings as Emery’s main senior centre-back choices in Bruges.
LB: Ian Maatsen
Maatsen should retain his position at left-back.
Matteo Ruggeri remains an alternative, but Maatsen’s pace could be particularly valuable against a Club Brugge side capable of causing problems in transition.
João Gomes return gives Emery midfield solution
CM: Boubacar Kamara
Kamara remains one of the easiest selections in the team.
Villa need control away from home and the France international continues to provide the defensive platform that allows Emery’s attacking midfielders greater freedom.
CM: João Gomes
Gomes now looks increasingly likely to make his second competitive Villa appearance.
The £38million signing remains suspended domestically following his red card against Brighton, but that ban does not carry over into UEFA competition.
Emery confirmed before the game that Gomes is available, and we have explained exactly why João Gomes can return against Club Brugge despite his Premier League suspension.
His availability has become even more important because Goretzka will not make his Villa debut tonight.
Emery confirmed the Germany international has suffered a knee injury and is expected to remain unavailable until after the international break.
Our latest Leon Goretzka injury update explains the setback facing the summer signing.
George Hemmings could beat £47m Mbaye to starting spot
RW: John McGinn
McGinn could operate from the right while regularly moving inside to support Villa’s midfield.
The captain remains one of Emery’s most trusted players and his experience should be valuable against a Club Brugge side who have lost only three of their last 22 UEFA home matches.
Our Club Brugge scouting report shows why Villa cannot afford to underestimate the Belgian champions.
AM: Emiliano Buendía
Buendía should be given another opportunity despite missing a big chance at Hull.
The Argentine found useful pockets of space at the MKM Stadium and could be particularly important if Villa need to break through a compact Brugge midfield.
LW: George Hemmings
This is the major change from our original prediction.
We initially backed Mbaye to make his first Villa start, but Hemmings did enough at Hull to make dropping him difficult.
The academy youngster registered Villa’s first Premier League shot on target of the season and created an excellent opportunity for Buendía with a dangerous low delivery.
UEFA now predicts Hemmings to start against Brugge, while other current projected line-ups have reached the same conclusion.
That does not mean Mbaye will have to wait much longer.
Villa invested £47million in the former Paris Saint-Germain attacker precisely because of his pace, directness and enormous potential. If the game opens up during the second half, he could become one of Emery’s most dangerous options from the bench.
But after Hemmings took his opportunity against Hull, the 18-year-old deserves another chance.
ST: Nicolas Jackson
Jackson should continue through the middle.
The £65million signing is still searching for his first competitive Aston Villa goal, but Villa created considerably more against Hull than they had in their opening two Premier League games.
Tonight provides another opportunity for the striker to turn improved chance creation into the goal Villa desperately need.
Manzambi ruled out of Club Brugge clash
There had previously been hope Johan Manzambi could make his Villa debut in Belgium, but that possibility has now been removed.
Emery confirmed Manzambi did not travel with the squad as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
The £59.5million midfielder is progressing well, although Emery admitted he does not yet know whether Saturday’s Nottingham Forest game or the following week will provide his return date.
That represents a significant change from the uncertainty surrounding Manzambi when our original predicted XI was published.
Our dedicated Johan Manzambi injury update will continue to track his recovery.
With Goretzka and Manzambi absent, Gomes returning and Hemmings pushing to retain his place ahead of Mbaye, Emery’s first Champions League XI of the new campaign is beginning to take shape.
Updated Aston Villa predicted XI vs Club Brugge
Suzuki; Cash, Lindelöf, Pau Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, João Gomes; McGinn, Buendía, Hemmings; Jackson.
