Aston Villa starting XI vs Frankfurt predicted as Martinez, Watkins and Rogers return to action
We'll see several Aston Villa players for the first time this pre-season as Unai Emery's side take on Frankfurt in Louisville
Our dedicated Aston Villa reporter is always on the pulse of all things claret and blue, from major talking points to transfer news to match action, John Townley will bring you the very latest from Bodymoor Heath and Villa Park.
Aston Villa face Eintracht Frankfurt this evening in Louisville as Unai Emery’s side begins their pre-season tour of the USA.
This is the first of three games Villa will play in the States, with matches against MLS sides St. Louis City and Nashville SC scheduled for next week.
Villa suffered defeats to both Walsall and Hansa Rostock last week before flying out to Nashville, where they will be based throughout the tour.
Several first-team players will make their first pre-season outings in the U.S., having missed the first two fixtures due to international duty earlier this summer.
Emi Martinez is among those players and is expected to feature for one half against Frankfurt. New back-up goalkeeper Marco Bizot may be in line to start.
The 34-year-old Bizot could even start Villa’s Premier League opener, as Martinez is suspended following the red card he received against Manchester United on the final day of last season.
In defence, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Ian Maatsen, and Lucas Digne could all make their first appearances of pre-season.
Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres featured in the opening matches, along with Lamare Bogarde and Andres Garcia.
It was interesting to see Emery deploy a back three in the visit to Rostock, which is a system he could trial again on this tour.
Yasin Ozcan and Triston Rowe are among the young players included in the travelling squad.
Boubacar Kamara signed a new five-year contract before Villa departed for the U.S. and could be in contention to start against Frankfurt, having played in both of the previous friendlies.
Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, and John McGinn are also available in midfield, as is Ross Barkley, who began his pre-season training nearly three weeks ago.
Jacob Ramsey is in a similar position, making him one of the fitter players in the squad at this stage of the summer.
Up front, Emery has Ollie Watkins and Donyell Malen to lead the line, but will be cautious not to overload his strikers so early in the pre-season schedule.
It will also be interesting to see how much of an opportunity Emi Buendia gets this summer, especially considering Villa had essentially sanctioned his departure in January with a buy option agreed with Bayer Leverkusen—one that ultimately wasn’t exercised.
Aston Villa predicted XI vs Frankfurt: Bizot, Garcia, Bogarde, Mings, Pau, Maatsen, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Ramsey, Malen.