Aston Villa 3-1 Viking: Barkley and Buendia keep Villa perfect in Champions League
Villa Park fortress stands firm as Villans go three from three
Aston Villa extended their perfect start to the Champions League season with a confident 3-1 win over Norwegian debutants Viking at Villa Park, moving them second in the group table after three wins from three.
It was another impressive showing by the Villans, who are the second-quickest team to record 20 wins in the European Cup/Champions League (30 matches), behind only Real Madrid (20 games). They are also the first Europa League holders to win their first three games of a Champions League campaign since Manchester United in 2017-18.
Barkley and Buendia do the damage
Villa started brightly, with Nicolas Jackson seeing two headers saved in the opening seven minutes. A deflected Alysson cross looped onto the crossbar just before Ross Barkley broke the deadlock from a 23rd-minute corner, rising highest to glance in Ibrahim Mbaye's set-piece.
Emiliano Buendia then headed over from point-blank range and forced a smart stop out of Arild Ostbo before Alysson was clumsily felled in the box. A penalty was given following a VAR review, and Buendia finally hit the net from 12 yards out after 37 minutes.
Viking – who snatched a shock 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich in their previous Champions League outing – looked stronger after the break, with Tobias Moi calling Zion Suzuki into action for the first time. However, Villa put the game beyond their visitors in the 62nd minute, with Alysson once again seeing a cross deflected, though Henrik Heggheim inadvertently turned it into his own net.
Jesper Daland and Alejandro Garnacho went close at either end before Viking denied Villa a clean sheet as Peter Christiansen finished Kristoffer Askildsen's cross first-time, with the goal standing after it was initially ruled out for offside.
Records tumble under Emery
Villa have now won each of their last 12 major European home games, the joint-longest run by an English team this century – alongside Manchester City in 2022-2024 and Manchester United in 2006-2008. Fresh off recording their biggest-ever European win last time out against Fenerbahce, Villa recorded 14 first-half shots, their joint-most in a game under Unai Emery.
Buendia became the first Villa player to score in four consecutive appearances in major European competition, while Barkley has now scored in three consecutive starts across all competitions for the first time since October 2020. Villa ultimately dominated, having 21 shots worth 2.67 expected goals (xG) to Viking's 10 attempts (0.75 xG).
Context: Emery's warning heeded
The result vindicated Unai Emery's pre-match caution. On 20 October 2026, the Spanish coach had insisted Villa were not underestimating a "dangerous" Viking side, refusing to use a mounting injury list – which sidelined Johan Manzambi, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri – as an excuse ahead of the clash.
Next up: Barcelona
Villa will next put their 100% start to the test against LaLiga leaders Barcelona next month.