Aston Villa Plays Marseille Pre-Season Friendly Amid New Signings

Aston Villa's pre-season preparations include a friendly against Marseille at the Stade Vélodrome, serving as a final tune-up before their Premier League opener against Newcastle on August 16. Manager Unai Emery has named a starting XI featuring Marco Bizot in goal, with Lucas Digne and Tyrone Mings in defense, and Donyell Malen leading the attack, while new signing Evann Guessand, acquired for an initial £26 million, is expected to feature off the bench after missing the Marseille match but likely to play against Villarreal. Villa have had mixed results in pre-season, including a notable 4-0 win over Roma, and are aiming to build momentum for a strong 2025–26 campaign with hopes of returning to the UEFA Champions League. Newcastle United, by contrast, finished their pre-season with a loss to Atletico Madrid, winning only one of seven friendlies, and their likely starting lineup against Villa is based on players with the most pre-season minutes, including Pope, Livramento, and Joelinton. Both teams are integrating new signings and assessing squad depth ahead of the new season, with Villa particularly cautious about injuries given the proximity of the league start. The Marseille friendly will be streamed live, providing fans an opportunity to see Aston Villa's squad adjustments in action.