Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv: Can Maccabi clinch their first win in European competition?
In the fourth round of the UEFA Europa League, Aston Villa face off against Maccabi Tel Aviv. The match will take place on Thursday, November 6, kicking off at 21:00 CET. Here’s my preview and betting insight for this clash.
Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv: Match facts and H2H
- Aston Villa have lost two of their last three matches.
- Maccabi have suffered just one defeat in their previous five games.
- At home, Aston Villa have won their last four matches in a row.
- Maccabi are unbeaten in their last six away fixtures.
- This season, Maccabi have scored in both halves in 39% of their matches, while Aston Villa have done so in 21%.
- Aston Villa have kept a clean sheet in 21% of their games, compared to Maccabi’s 17%.
- These two clubs have never met before in official competition.
Aston Villa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv: Match preview
Aston Villa made a strong start to their UEFA Europa League campaign. They opened with a 1–0 victory over Bologna, followed by a solid 2–0 win against Feyenoord. However, their momentum was halted in the third round when they unexpectedly fell 1–2 to Go Ahead Eagles. Villa took the lead in the fourth minute but conceded twice and lost the game. The Birmingham side currently sit on six points after three matches, placing them tenth in the overall standings. Domestically, Villa are 11th in the Premier League with 15 points from ten matches, trailing the European qualification zone by just three points.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, meanwhile, occupy second place in the Israeli Premier League, collecting 23 points from nine rounds and sitting only one point behind the leaders. Their European campaign, however, has been far less impressive. They began with a goalless draw against PAOK, then suffered defeats to Dinamo Zagreb (1–3) and Midtjylland (0–3). With just one point from three matches, they currently rank 32nd in the competition standings.
Probable line-ups
- Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Bogarde; Sancho, Elliott, Malen; Watkins
- Maccabi Tel Aviv: Mishpati; Asante, Shlomo, Camara, Revivo; Belic, Sissokho; Davida, Andrade, Varela; Peretz
Prediction
Aston Villa’s previous Europa League setback will undoubtedly motivate them to respond with a strong performance. Maccabi often struggle in such high-level away fixtures, and a trip to England only adds to the challenge. Villa should have enough firepower to secure a home win, so the smart bet is on Aston Villa to score over 2 goals.
