Preseason Football Battle
Aston Villa Faces Walsall in July Friendly; Sky Expands Coverage Amid Key Absences
Anonymous
Key Points
1
The match is listed to be played at the Poundland Bescot Stadium, per the Walsall vs Aston Villa lineup page.
2
Youri Tielemans has completed a permanent transfer to Manchester United, making him unavailable for this friendly.
3
B. Madjo opened the scoring for Villa in the 24th minute to put them ahead in the first half.
4
Sky’s broadcasting package for the fixture is part of a broader expansion, adding HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu to Sky’s Ultimate TV/Sky Sports bundles alongside 135 channels.
5
The scheduled kickoff time for the match is 1:30 AM on July 22, 2026.
Aston Villa kick off their 2026/27 preseason with a friendly against League Two side Walsall at the Poundland Bescot Stadium on July 22, 2026, with a 1:30 AM kickoff, according to YSScores. Villa manager Unai Emery will be without several key players, but the Premier League side still hold a commanding edge in this fixture's history.
Villa have won 12 of 17 all-time meetings against Walsall. But Walsall did pull off an upset in a 2025 preseason clash, giving the League Two side reason for confidence heading into this rematch, per Birmingham Mail.
Villa Missing Key Stars Due to World Cup Duty
Several of Villa's biggest names are unavailable for this friendly. Emiliano Martínez, Ezri Konsa, and Ollie Watkins are all away on international duty following the World Cup, according to Fresno Bee. Johan Manzambi is also unavailable for separate reasons.
New signing Youri Tielemans will also miss the match — but for a very different reason. Tielemans has completed a permanent transfer to Manchester United, making him unavailable for Villa's preseason plans entirely, per Sacramento Bee. Amadou Onana is another notable absentee from the squad.
Walsall Line Up in 4-3-3 to Test Premier League Side
Walsall are managed by Lee Grant and will set up in a 4-3-3 formation for the match. The League Two side arrive off a draw in their previous preseason outing. They are looking to test themselves against top-flight opposition, according to YSScores.
Villa will use a 4-2-3-1 shape under Emery. This is the first of seven scheduled friendlies for Villa this summer, per Birmingham Mail. The match gives Emery a chance to work with his fringe players and assess depth in the squad.
B. Madjo Breaks Deadlock as Villa Go Two Up
Villa took control early in the match. B. Madjo opened the scoring in the 24th minute to give Villa a 1-0 lead. Villa then pushed further ahead, extending to 2-0 by the 42nd minute, per Birmingham Mail.
The scoreline heading into halftime reflected Villa's clear quality advantage despite the squad absentees. Walsall struggled to match the Premier League side's pace and movement in the opening 45 minutes, according to Birmingham Mail.
Sky Bundles Expand Coverage for Preseason Matches
Broadcast coverage of the fixture comes as Sky rolls out a major expansion of its sports packages. Sky's Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundles now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu alongside 135 channels, per Myrtle Beach Online.
The expansion means more fans can watch Premier League and EFL preseason content in one place. Both league and friendly fixtures are set to benefit from the wider distribution, giving Villa and Walsall a larger potential audience for this summer clash.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
11
Articles
26
Reach
37
Topics
A
AnonymousAuthor