Story by
Aston Villa v Viking preview: Key stats and player info
- Story by
- Aston Villa v Viking preview: Key stats and player info
After an understandably slow start following a major summer overhaul, Aston Villa are beginning to find form.
Sunday's 1-0 victory at Newcastle United was their fourth win in five games, a run that includes back-to-back Champions League successes.
Advertisement
Their 6-0 demolition of Fenerbahce last week was the club's biggest victory in European competition and meant only holders Paris St-Germain had scored more goals in the opening two rounds.
Opponents Viking head to Birmingham buoyed by earning their first Champions League point in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich .
Bodo/Glimt have shown in recent years that Norwegian sides cannot be underestimated, and Viking, who pipped them to the Eliteserien title last year, are flourishing under joint head coaches Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen.
Aarsheim described their first-half display against Bayern as "perfect" but was most impressed by the "mentality and hunger" his side showed to score a late equaliser after the disappointment of conceding three goals in 17 minutes after the break.
Advertisement
Did you know?
-
Norwegian sides have failed to win all 28 of their games away to English sides in European competitions, losing 26 of those matches.
-
Viking have scored in each of their past 10 European matches and have lost just two of their past eight.
[Getty Images]
Key Viking player - Zlatko Tripic
The winger admits he deliberately tried to unsettle Michael Olise before the Bayern player was sent off. "He eventually lost his composure and threw the ball in my face, so I feel I won that duel," he said.
Tripic, who has a reputation in Norway for trying to provoke opponents, moved to Norway as a baby after his parents fled war in the former Yugoslavia.
Despite spells in Germany, Moldova and Turkey, he has spent much of his career at Viking and leads this season's Eliteserien, which runs from March to December, with 19 assists.
Viking squad summary
Advertisement
Viking's squad includes centre-back Henrik Falchener, who appeared for Norway at the World Cup.
New Zealand midfielder Joe Bell and Australian defender Gianni Stensness form part of the team's spine, while striker Erik Botheim was briefly part of a teenage rap group which included Erling Haaland. One video by Flow Kingz has attracted 29 million views on YouTube.
