Aside from a UCL defeat to current holders Paris Saint-Germain and a Clasico reverse to Real Madrid, the Catalan giants have won every other game.
Emery's Camp Nou return
In terms of goals scored, they've plundered 57 in LaLiga and UCL games, which is more than any other club in Europe.
Though it's been almost 10 years, Unai Emery won't have the fondest memories of Camp Nou, after his PSG side threw away a 4-0 first-leg lead against Barca, with Sergi Roberto scoring the goal that took them through and sparked utter pandemonium in the stands.
There's not quite the same level of importance attached to this game, but nevertheless, both sides will want to grab the three points to be able to put themselves in the best possible position with four games remaining after this one in the league phase.
Villa can't be taken lightly either, given that they are one of only five teams that have won all three of their matches to date, and one of seven not to have lost in this season's UCL.
UEFA Champions League
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Barcelona trio have more goals than entire Villa squad
However, the outcome of the match is likely to depend on how well Ian Maatsen and Matty Cash can cope with the raiding down the channels of Anthony Gordon and Lamine Yamal. Not to mention Raphinha's prowess in the centre.
Barca will attempt to stretch the pitch at every opportunity, and how well Villa cope with an incessant attack will ultimately determine if their defensive record holds firm.
Just three goals conceded so far (only Stuttgart and Arsenal have a better showing: two goals conceded) are evidence that they're no pushovers, but with respect, Villa haven't yet come up against an attack as devastating as Barcelona's.
For example, the trio have scored 32 goals between them, which is 10 more than Villa have managed as an entire team in both the Premier League and UCL, and they've also combined for 18 assists.
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Lamine the danger man
17 fast breaks also show how much of their work is on the front foot, and when you have a shot accuracy of 73.33% (Raphinha) and 64% (Gordon), the two highest outputs in the squad, there's always the promise of goals.
Lamine's 47 chances are the most created this season, whilst his 172 duels contested are way more than any of his colleagues.
If that weren't enough for the Villans to mull over, Joao Cancelo and Fermin Lopez et al are two more players that can keep the pressure on the Premier League outfit with ease.
Maatsen has won only six of his 17 tackles in all competitions this season (35.28%), while Cash has fared slightly better, winning 15 of his 31 attempts (48.39%).
It's a similar story in terms of one-on-one duels, with the former winning just 25 of 61 contested (40.98%), and the latter winning 47 out of 84 (55.95%).
Maatsen and Cash must get up the pitch in order for Villa to be successful
Given that much of Villa's success has come from their ability to get the wing-backs upfield and support the likes of Nicolas Jackson in attack, those forays could well be stifled at source unless the visitors are willing to fight fire with fire and hope to spring a shock.
That both Maatsen and Cash have made just one fast break between them this season speaks volumes, and even when they have managed to engineer a decent position, their crossing accuracy has really let them down.
Cash has attempted 11 crosses so far in 2026/27 and has found a teammate on just two occasions, whilst Maatsen's 11 have produced just one success.
If there's one area where they can give the hosts a run for their money, it's with regard to their pass completion. For Cash, an 82.61% success rate is perfectly acceptable; ditto Maatsen with 83.47%.
However, whether they actually get enough time on the ball to be able to execute their passes is another matter entirely.
Where Barcelona have been so successful this season is in their desire to swarm their opponent and get into them at every single opportunity.
If the Villans aren't up to that challenge, it could be a very long night for them indeed.
Jason Pettigrove has been the features writer for Flashscore since 2025, utilising Opta data to form the basis of his articles. He has previously worked for high-profile football clubs, news and media outlets, both in print and digital, and can usually be found watching FC Barcelona when time permits. You can read more of his pieces here.
