Barcelona vs Aston Villa: Team News, Line-ups & Prediction

Aston Villa travel to Camp Nou with Barcelona's defence patched up and no clean sheet in 18 Champions League matches

Aston Villa visit Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, November 3 (8pm GMT) at Camp Nou. Villa have won all three group games, while Barcelona have six points from three. The hosts are without several key defenders, and their clean-sheet drought in Europe stretches back to April 2025.

Kick-off: 8pm GMT, Tuesday, November 3
Venue: Camp Nou
Competition: Champions League league phase
Villa form: Three wins from three (9 points), second in the table
Barcelona form: Six points from three, including a 4-2 defeat at PSG
Our prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Aston Villa

Confirmed line-ups

No confirmed line-ups have been released by either club. The information below is based on the latest team news from the source article.

Barcelona (4-3-3 likely)

Starting XI: The only first-team defenders available are João Cancelo, Gerard Martín, Pau Cubarsí and Alejandro Balde. In the 6-1 win over Deportivo Alavés, Hansi Flick used Frenkie de Jong at centre-back and gave Brian Farinas a first-team debut at right-back. Fermín López is expected to continue in place of the injured Dani Olmo.

Substitutes: Not yet confirmed.

Aston Villa (4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 likely)

Starting XI: João Gomes and Emi Buendía could come into the starting line-up, with Leon Goretzka and Alysson the likely players to drop out. Nicolas Jackson is expected to lead the attack after scoring in the 1-1 draw with Fulham.

Substitutes: Tammy Abraham is expected to return to the matchday group. Not yet confirmed.

Selection notes

Barcelona are without Xavi Espart and Jules Koundé (both ankle injuries), while Eric García and Andreas Christensen are still recovering from thigh problems and are not ready to return. Dani Olmo has a left adductor injury picked up against Paris Saint-Germain. Roony Bardghji remains out long term after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee. For Villa, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri remain unavailable with hamstring injuries and are not expected back until after the November international break. Amadou Onana is a major absence after rupturing his ACL while on international duty with Belgium at the 2026 World Cup. Brian Madjo and Modou Keba Cisse are not eligible for this phase of the competition after being omitted from Villa’s Champions League squad. Madjo’s absence should bring Tammy Abraham back into the matchday group.

The numbers

Barcelona home record: 12 wins from 14 matches in all competitions this season; 29 goals scored across seven home games (4.14 per match)
Barcelona in Champions League: No clean sheet since beating Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in April 2025 – a run of 18 matches
Barcelona overall: Just one clean sheet in their last 10 games in all competitions
Unai Emery’s record at Camp Nou: One win in 15 visits
Nicolas Jackson: Seven goals in his last seven appearances in all competitions

Injury and availability

Barcelona: João Cancelo, Gerard Martín, Pau Cubarsí and Alejandro Balde are the only senior defenders available. Xavi Espart and Jules Koundé are out with ankle injuries. Eric García and Andreas Christensen are still recovering from thigh problems and are not ready to return. Dani Olmo has a left adductor injury. Roony Bardghji is out long term after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee.

Aston Villa: Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri are unavailable with hamstring injuries and are not expected back until after the November international break. Amadou Onana is a major absence after rupturing his ACL while on international duty with Belgium. Brian Madjo and Modou Keba Cisse are not eligible for this phase of the competition after being omitted from the Champions League squad.

Why Barcelona’s defensive crisis gives Villa a real chance

Barcelona’s attack is formidable: they have scored 29 goals in seven home games this season. But their defence is a patchwork. With only four senior defenders available, Hansi Flick has been forced into makeshift solutions. In the 6-1 win over Deportivo Alavés, he used Frenkie de Jong at centre-back and handed Brian Farinas a debut at right-back. That kind of improvisation is unlikely to hold up against a side with Villa’s attacking threat.

Villa, meanwhile, have a potent weapon in Nicolas Jackson. The forward has seven goals in his last seven appearances, and his pace will trouble a Barcelona side that defends high. If Villa can break pressure and release Jackson early, there will be space to attack. Unai Emery knows this stadium well, but his record there is poor – one win in 15 visits – and he will need a disciplined yet ambitious approach to upset the odds.

The key battle will be in midfield. Villa’s João Gomes and Emi Buendía could come in to add energy and creativity, while Barcelona’s Fermín López will look to fill the void left by Dani Olmo. If Villa can stifle Barcelona’s rhythm and hit them on the counter, an upset is possible. But Barcelona’s firepower at home is such that even a patched-up defence may not matter if they score freely.

Talking points

Should Unai Emery stick with the same XI that beat Fulham, or bring in João Gomes and Emi Buendía for extra legs at Camp Nou?
Is Barcelona’s defensive crisis being overplayed? They still have attacking quality to blow teams away.
Nicolas Jackson’s form makes him undroppable – but can he hurt a team that dominates possession?
Villa have nine points from three games – is a top-eight finish now a realistic target?

What happens next

After the Barcelona clash, Aston Villa return to Premier League action, while Barcelona continue their Champions League campaign. The result at Camp Nou will have a major bearing on Villa’s hopes of finishing in the top eight and securing automatic qualification to the knockout stages.

Frequently asked questions

Is João Cancelo starting for Barcelona vs Aston Villa?

João Cancelo is one of only four senior defenders available for Barcelona, so he is expected to start against Aston Villa.

Is Nicolas Jackson playing for Aston Villa against Barcelona?

Nicolas Jackson is expected to lead the line for Aston Villa after scoring in the 1-1 draw with Fulham and has seven goals in his last seven appearances.