Champions League: Aston Villa vs Viking 21/10/26

An in-form Aston Villa, boasting one of the most lethal attacks in Europe, and a fearless Viking side always looking for a goal, combined with the hosts’ defensive injury problems, point to an open game with plenty of attempts, making over 29.5 total shots a logical pick.

Shots Betting

After a poor start to the season, Aston Villa have found their rhythm and currently look like one of the most in-form sides in Europe, while Viking, despite being debutants, play with courage and no inferiority complex, so a closed-off game at Villa Park is hard to imagine. Following a 3-2 win in Bruges, Villa thrashed Fenerbahçe 6-0, the biggest European victory in their history, and Emery’s side attack without the brakes on the continent, having failed to score in just one of their last 23 European matches and netted three or more goals in six of their last eight. On top of that, Villa’s last eight Champions League games have produced a whopping 34 goals, or 4.25 per match. Viking won’t come to sit back: against Bayern they led 2-0 before rescuing a 3-3 draw with a 90th-minute goal, and they have lost only once in their last 12 matches. Six of the Norwegians’ last seven games have featured three or more goals, and their attack is led by Tripić, who has been involved in three of their four Champions League goals, and Christiansen with 14 goals. The key detail is the hosts’ injury situation, as Manzambi has joined Wan-Bissaka, Maatsen, Onana and Ruggeri on the sidelines, and with no natural left-back available, Mings could be deployed in that position, which also opens up space for the visitors on the counter. We expect an open game with plenty of attempts at both ends, making over 29.5 total shots a logical pick.