Preview: Walsall vs Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

After finally lifting some major silverware last season, Aston Villa start all over again on Tuesday evening, when they travel to nearby Walsall for their first pre-season friendly.

Villa will make a short trip to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium for their traditional curtain-raiser, amid a frantic fortnight in the transfer market.

Match preview

Not only did Europa League specialist Unai Emery claim that trophy again last season, but his Aston Villa squad also clung on to fourth place in the Premier League, capping off a memorable campaign with Champions League qualification.

Soon after beating Freiburg in their first European final for 44 years, Villa finished the domestic season with a 2-1 win over Manchester City, before several players swiftly left for the World Cup.

Much has changed since then, with key midfielder Youri Tielemans and England forward Morgan Rogers heading for the exit, while Swiss star Johan Manzambi has arrived at the Birmingham club.

Minus some internationals, who are still on leave, Emery's men recently returned to training at Bodymoor Heath, and their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign are now under way.

After warming up against Walsall, the Villans will travel to Portugal to face Porto before meeting Real Sociedad back in the West Midlands.

Then, they are bound for Asia, for friendly games against Indonesia All-Stars, BG Pathum United and Bayern Munich.

Having returned to Europe for the UEFA Super Cup - which will pit them against Paris Saint-Germain in Salzburg - Villa then open their Premier League season away to Brighton & Hove Albion.

After Walsall blew a 12-point lead at the League Two summit in 2024-25 before losing the playoff final, they sat top of the table again last Christmas - but that was as good as it got.

The Saddlers then plummeted to a dismal 13th-placed finish, via an eight-match winless run at the Bescot and the sacking of manager Mat Sadler in March.

Largely due to some woeful home form, they accrued just 22 points in the second half of the season, with interim coach Darren Byfield also unable to turn things around.

Former Huddersfield Town boss Lee Grant has since been appointed, with the aim of ending Walsall's eight-year stay in England's fourth tier.

Set to start the new season with an EFL Cup tie against Bristol City, before visiting Gillingham on League Two's opening weekend, the Midlands club are amid a big squad rebuild.

So, after drawing 0-0 with Leamington in their first friendly, they could find life tough on Tuesday - even if Villa's squad will be depleted.

Walsall pre-season form:

Team News

Several Aston Villa players remain absent following their World Cup duties, including Ezri Konsa, who scored for England in Saturday's bronze medal game.

His international teammate Rogers is heading for Chelsea, while Belgian midfield pair Amadou Onana (ACL) and Tielemans (transferred to Manchester United) are also unavailable.

Manzambi - who featured for Freiburg in the Europa League final - lit up Switzerland's World Cup campaign with three goals and two assists before suffering a knee injury, but he is on extended leave.

Of Villa's senior stars, Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash, Leon Bailey and Emi Buendia have all resumed training; Boubacar Kamara may be involved too, after recovering from an injury that prematurely ended his 2025-26 season.

Meanwhile, new Walsall coach Grant has a big task on his hands this summer, after 12 players were released at the end of their contract.

Charlton Athletic loanee Daniel Kanu claimed the club's Player of the Season award by scoring 18 goals across all competitions, but he has also departed.

Still vying for selection at the age of 38, ex-Villa winger Albert Adomah became the first man in EFL history to reach 100 appearances for six different clubs last term.

Walsall possible starting lineup:

Ward; Browne, Burke, Harris, Harper; Adomah, Worrall, Moore, Sjoerdsma; Pressley, Dallas

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Wright; Cash, Cisse, Mings, Iling-Junior; Bogarde, Hemmings; Bailey, Buendia, Jimoh-Aloba; Abraham

We say: Walsall 1-3 Aston Villa

Both clubs will field an unfamiliar XI, and building match-fitness is the main object of their annual pre-season friendly.

Though that makes the scoreline unpredictable, Aston Villa's reserves of talent run deep, while Walsall are short of proven options as their summer rebuild goes on.

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