Unai Emery returns to the location of La Remontada on Tuesday evening, when Champions League perfectionists Aston Villa face a fierce test of their continental mettle against Barcelona at Camp Nou.

The Lions arrive in Catalonia with an unblemished record of three wins from three in the 2026-27 tournament, while their hosts' unbeaten start came to an end at the home of holders Paris Saint-Germain on matchday three.

Match preview

The champions and the challengers colliding at the Parc des Princes promised to serve up a glut of goals, and in true PSG vs. Barcelona fashion, the two beleaguered backlines failed to quell the two absorbing attacks during the 90 minutes.

Unfortunately for the La Liga champions, four of the six strikes scored on the evening went PSG's way, as a Blaugrana side who began the season with 11 straight victories in all competitions lost their 100% record in crushing fashion.

Barca's first defeat of the campaign soon became a mini-wobble, as Jose Mourinho inspired Real Madrid to an unexpected Camp Nou Clasico triumph in La Liga, but Flick's men returned to their merciless ways on Saturday evening.

Indeed, the Blaugrana snapped their two-game losing sequence in a 6-1 annihilation of Alaves, thus maintaining a two-point advantage over nearest rivals Atletico Madrid at the top of the La Liga table.

Only once this season have Barcelona failed to score more than two goals in one game - their 1-2 reverse to Real Madrid just last month - although Alaves' consolation on Saturday means that Flick's side are also without a clean sheet in five.

In fact, Barca have shipped at least one goal in nine of their last 10 games in all competitions, but they are unbeaten in 15 straight UEFA home games against English teams, last suffering defeat to Liverpool almost two decades ago.

PSG's beating of Barcelona on matchday three means that the reigning European champions are the only team to out-perform Aston Villa in the 2026-27 league phase, as Emery's men sit in a scarcely believable second position after three rounds.

Club Brugge, Fenerbahce and Viking FK have all fallen to Villa's might thus far, the latter failing to follow up their extraordinary draw with Bayern Munich as Emery masterminded a comfortable 3-1 triumph in the West Midlands on October 21.

As well as being just one of five teams on a perfect nine points, Villa's 12 UCL goals scored is the joint second-best record behind PSG's 14, while +9 goal difference is also the best of its kind alongside the two-time winners.

A 2-1 success over Manchester City just three days after the Viking win enhanced Emery's reputation as one of the globe's finest head coaches at this moment in time, but his side now travel to Camp Nou on a two-game winless run, following up a 3-0 EFL Cup loss at Bournemouth with a disappointing 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Fulham.

Aston Villa have also prevailed in just one of their four historical meetings with Barcelona, although not since the 1983 UEFA Super Cup final - which the Lions won 3-1 on aggregate over two legs - have the Lions and the Blaugrana squared off in a competitive setting.

Barcelona Champions League form:

Barcelona form (all competitions):

Aston Villa Champions League form:

Aston Villa form (all competitions):

Team News

The injury that forced Dani Olmo off in the first half of Barca's loss to PSG is a moderately severe one, as the Spanish playmaker is expected to remain out until after the next international break with a torn adductor muscle.

Olmo is joined on the sidelines by Xavi Espart (ankle), Andreas Christensen (thigh), Roony Bardghji (ACL), Eric Garcia (thigh) and Jules Kounde (ankle), but the hosts suffered no new concerns against Alaves over the weekend.

Scorer of two goals and provider of one on Saturday, Lamine Yamal has another record in his sights; if he finds the net on Tuesday, he will break the record for the most Champions League goals as a teenager, currently sitting level with Kylian Mbappe on 13.

As for Aston Villa, it is as you were on the team news front, and Emery should only be missing Amadou Onana (knee), Matteo Ruggeri (thigh) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (thigh) for the trip to Catalonia.

Some concerns were raised over Nicolas Jackson's availability when the striker was not pictured in training last week, but he was fit enough to start and score against Fulham, moving onto eight strikes from his first 12 games in a Villa kit.

Leon Goretzka - a member of the Bayern Munich team that destroyed Barca 8-2 in 2020 - made his first Premier League start against Fulham too, but Joao Gomes may be preferred on Tuesday if Emery errs on the side of caution with the German.

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

J. Garcia; Cancelo, Martin, Cubarsi, Balde; Pedri, Rodri; Yamal, Lopez, Gordon; Raphinha

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Gomes; McGinn, Manzambi, Buendia; Jackson

We say: Barcelona 3-1 Aston Villa

Goals at both ends are normally a guarantee when Barcelona are involved, and fans should expect no different when two teams with 23 Champions League goals between them collide at Camp Nou.

However, Villa have also conceded at least twice in three of their last five away matches, and Emery's men may be overwhelmed by Flick's ferocious attack as their 100% UCL record comes to an end.

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