Key events
The reigning Swiss champions Young Boys are currently bottom of the Swiss Super League, without a win in their first six matches. That doesn’t quite tell the whole story, though. Having lost their three opening league fixtures back in July, they’ve since steadied the ship a bit with three draws, a couple of wins in the Swiss Cup, and home and away victories over Galatasaray to qualify for this fancy new Champions League, League Stage. (The branding folk didn’t think this through, did they.) Still, it’s not been the ideal start for Raphael Wicky’s side, and in-form Villa will fancy their chances of getting their CLLS (I know, but we’ve got to call it something) campaign up and running with a win.
If it ain’t broke, etc. Villa have won three of their opening four games in the Premier League, and should have come away with something from the one they lost. So Unai Emery is understandably of the view that nothing much needs fixing right now. He names the same XI that started the 3-2 comeback win over Everton at the weekend.
The teams
Preamble
After a 41-year wait, Aston Villa compete once more for Europe’s biggest prize. The timing could not be more poignant, with the passing yesterday of 1982’s golden boy. Rest well, Gary Shaw. Kick-off in Bern is at 5.45pm BST.