Preview: BG Pathum United vs Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

After starting August with a morale-boosting win, Aston Villa will take one step closer to the new season on Tuesday, when their Asian tour continues with a clash against BG Pathum United.

Villa will soon return to domestic action and are also building up to the UEFA Super Cup, but first they must head from Indonesia to Thailand for another friendly fixture.

Match preview

On Saturday, Aston Villa kicked off their trip to Asia with a 3-1 win over Indonesia All-Stars in Jakarta, as summer signing Alejandro Garnacho was handed his debut in claret and blue.

Unai Emery made 10 changes at the break, while young striker Brian Madjo scored his fourth goal in as many pre-season appearances, further highlighting his potential.

After lifting the Europa League trophy in May, when they also claimed fourth place in the Premier League and secured Champions League qualification, Emery's men are now getting ready for another demanding campaign.

Much has changed since the Villans won their first European final for 44 years, with key midfielder Youri Tielemans and England forward Morgan Rogers both heading for the exit after appearing at the World Cup.

Still, Garnacho, Joao Gomes and Swiss star Johan Manzambi have all arrived at the Birmingham club, who beat Walsall 5-0 in their first pre-season friendly before losing 2-0 to Porto and 4-2 to Real Sociedad.

Ahead of their UEFA Super clash with Paris Saint-Germain on August 12, Villa are now travelling across East Asia; after brief stops in Indonesia and Thailand, they will meet Bayern Munich in Hong Kong.

Like their English visitors, BG Pathum United also finished fourth in the league last season, losing only six times across 30 fixtures.

Previously known as Bangkok Glass, they have featured in the AFC Champions League twice across the past five years, while winning a first-ever Thai title in 2021.

Based in Pathum Thani province, they reappointed former manager Vladimir Vujovic last February and he subsequently led them into Liga 1's top four.

That booked a place in the group stage of Asia's second-tier continental tournament - inventively named AFC Champions League Two - for the season ahead, which will start in early September.

First, a glamour friendly against Premier League opposition awaits, as the Rabbits welcome the Europa League winners to True BG Stadium.

BG Pathum United pre-season form:

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Aston Villa pre-season form:

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Team News

Emery made multiple changes during Saturday's friendly, with only goalkeeper James Wright playing the full 90 minutes, and it should be a similar picture on Tuesday.

Victor Lindelof, Evann Guessand and club captain John McGinn all returned to action in Jakarta, but most of Aston Villa's World Cup players are still unavailable.

Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa, Lucas Digne, Emi Martinez and summer signing Manzambi - the latter of whom is also injured - are not set to feature.

While Boubacar Kamara is still recovering from long-term injury and Amadou Onana (ACL) will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, young winger Alysson returned from his latest layoff at the weekend.

Rising star Madjo has made a major impression in the absence of Watkins, while Pathum United's attack should be led by Japanese forward Tomoyuki Doi, who scored 44 goals in the Singapore Premier League's 2024-25 season before moving to Thailand.

Ex-Whitby Town targetman Ashley Coffey offers another option for the home side, who are captained from central midfield by Thai international Sarach Yooyen.

BG Pathum United possible starting lineup:

Anuin; Andersen, Choolthong, Buaphan, Tamma; Kaufmann, Kaman, Yooyen, Raniel; Doi, Gustavsson

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Bizot; Nedeljkovic, Cisse, Mings, Maatsen; Gomes, Barkley; McGinn, Buendia, Garnacho; Madjo

We say: BG Pathum United 1-4 Aston Villa

The hosts were beaten 3-0 by Thai giants Buriram United in their most recent friendly, so even a mix-and-match Aston Villa side should prove too hot to handle.

Match-fitness rather than the result is Villa's main concern, but they can build some momentum for tougher challenges ahead.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.