Preview: Aston Villa vs RB Salzburg Prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds | UEFA Europa League 2025-26

Villa will take on the Red Bulls on matchday eight of the UEFA Europa League

Premier League side Aston Villa will host RB Salzburg at the iconic Villa Park in the prestigious UEFA Europa League. From the beginning, Villa has performed quite well in the Europa League, and they have secured knockout stage qualifications very early.

In seven matches, they won six and lost just once, with 18 points in the table, they sit in the second spot. Lyon and Villa are tied with the same points, and both sides will aim to finish at the top. Unai Emery has already won a lot of Europa League trophies, and surely he will aim to help Villa win their first European trophy as well.

On the other hand, RB Salzburg is full of young players, and even if they win this fixture, they won’t be qualifying for the knockout stages. Overall, their performance has not been up to the mark, as in seven games, they won twice and lost five matches. With six points in hand, they sit at 28th place. This will be a great challenge for the young team, and facing a top-quality side like Villa at their home will be intimidating. This will be a mouthwatering clash for sure.

Kick-off:

• Location: Birmingham, England
• Stadium: Villa Park
• Date: Friday, 30 January
• Kick-off Time: 01:30 AM IST
• Referee: TBD
• VAR: In Use

Form

Aston Villa (in all competitions): W-W-L-W-D

RB Salzburg (in all competitions): W-W-D-L-W

Players to Watch

Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa)

Tielemans is the orchestrator in the midfield and is someone comfortable with both short and long passes. The Belgian international is an all-round player who is a key figure in Emery’s side, as he fits perfectly in the Spaniard’s style of play. He can control the tempo of the game and keep balance in the midfield.

He is always able to find a player who is in the free space and has a lot of attacking intent in him. Physically, he is quite dominating in nature and is someone who runs a lot throughout the match. He does his offensive and defensive job quite well, but he is more focused on the defensive side of the game to keep the balance in the midfield.

Tielemans’s decision-making is top-notch, and against the Salzburg young midfield, he can dominate them quite easily. This season, he has played 21 matches, in which he scored once and provided five assists.

Joane Gadou (RB Salzburg)

Gadou is a PSG academy graduate and joined Salzburg in 2024. Since then, he has been a key part of them and has shown his quality on the pitch. The French youth international plays as a centre back and is 6ft 5 tall. Due to his tall frame, he is able to win aerial duels and is able to cover a lot of ground.

With the ball, he is quite comfortable and is able to build up from the back pretty well. This season, he has played 18 matches so far, and his defensive performance will be crucial against a strong Villa side.

Match Facts

• This will be the first time these two sides face each other in the UEFA Europa League
• Aston Villa are sitting at the 2nd spot, and RB Salzburg are sitting at the 28th spot.
• Both teams have won three matches in their last five fixtures

Aston Villa vs RB Salzburg: Betting Tips & Odds

• Tip 1 – Aston Villa to win this fixture – 4/9 by bet365
• Tip 2 – Ollie Watkins to score anytime
• Tip 3 – Goals scored under 2.5

Injury and Team News

Boubacar Kamara is out for a couple of weeks as he suffered a knee injury. Onana is recovering from a hamstring injury and is doubtful for this fixture. Ross Barkley is also out due to a knee injury. Captain John McGinn also suffered an injury and might be out for two months. This is a big blow for Aston Villa, as they enter a crucial time in the season. The rest of the squad is fit to play.

Takumu Kawamura and John Mellberg both are both out due to long term injuries. The rest of the team is fully fit to play against Villa.

Head-to-Head

This will be the first time these two sides have faced each other in a competitive fixture.

Predicted Lineups

Aston Villa Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Martinez (GK); Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Tielemans, Hemmings, Rodgers, Buendia, Sancho; Watkins

RB Salzburg Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Schlager (GK); Lainer, Gadou, Rasmussen, Terzic; Bidstrup, Diabate; Baidoo, Alajbegovic, Onisiwo; Vertessen

Match Prediction

Villa are in great form, and surely they will be aiming to finish at the top of the table. Quality-wise, they are a much better side and are better in every department compared to Salzburg. Most probably, the home team will comfortably win this fixture.

Prediction: Aston Villa 2-0 RB Salzburg

Telecast Details

India: Sony LIV, Sony Sports Network

UK: TNT Sports

US: Paramount+, TUDN

North Africa: beIN Sports

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