Aston Villa get their pre-season schedule underway on Wednesday night as we face Walsall at the Bescot Stadium, with Unai Emery getting his first look at his squad in action this summer.
After the majority of the squad reported back to Bodymoor Heath for pre-season training last week, our schedule gets going this week ahead of a trip to the USA where the bulk of our preparations for the new campaign will be done.
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While there are a number of absentees still given their extended break after international duty this summer, it’s still a strong Villa squad that will feature in midweek, with Emery naming a number of senior players in his starting line-up, but with a good mix and balance with youngsters.
Summer signing Ross Barkley starts in midfield, while Kosta Nedeljkovic, Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior are all named on the bench. Meanwhile, Josh Feeney, Lamare Bogarde, Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba also start as they get an opportunity to impress the Villa boss.
However, amid speculation over his future, there is a notable absentee from the group, with Moussa Diaby not included in the matchday squad, while the likes of Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings and Jacob Ramsey are seemingly not risked as they make their respective comebacks from injury this summer.
Villa face Spartak Trnava on Saturday before flying out to the US, and so it’s hoped that we’ll see that trio make the trip and return to the fold, even if briefly off the bench.
Naturally, the main focus against Walsall will be our new recruits and seeing how they adapt and settle in, and there will hopefully be positive signs that they’re already starting to show their quality within Emery’s style and structure.
While the result means little at this early stage of our preparations, it’s all about building fitness and finding some rhythm to build confidence heading into a big season, but it’s great to merely have Villa back in action again and seeing Emery and his players getting ready for what will hopefully be a successful campaign both domestically and in Europe.
Your Aston Villa team for the first fixture of pre-season 2024/25. 👊 pic.twitter.com/k02oyGA3Z2
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) July 17, 2024
