Aston Villa go continue dem preparation for di 2026-27 Premier League season with a pre-season friendly against Portuguese giants Porto on Saturday.
Unai Emery side go start dem new league season against Brighton & Hove Albion on August 23, while Porto go open dem domestic campaign for di Portuguese Super Cup on August 1, taking on Torreense.
Porto be di reigning Portuguese champions, winning di title for di 31st time last season, though dem still dey short of Benfica record of 38.
Francesco Farioli team open dem preparations for di new campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Gil Vicente for a friendly on Wednesday, and dem go now face Aston Villa for dem second pre-season game, before tackling Torreense for di Portuguese Super Cup on August 1.
Porto 2026-27 league season go then begin against Alverca on August 9, and a busy opening month go see dem take to di field four times for Portugal top flight.
Di Blue and Whites don make four signings this summer, with di biggest of those for terms of a transfer fee proving to be Jakub Kiwior from Arsenal – di 26-year-old arriving on a permanent basis following a successful loan spell.
Porto don also allow four players to leave during di current window, with Danny Namaso, Thiago Silva, Yann Karamoh and Luuk de Jong departing di Estadio do Dragao.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, start dem preparations for di 2026-27 campaign with a 5-0 victory over Walsall for a friendly on Tuesday evening, and di Premier League outfit now get another four pre-season games before competitive action resume.
Emery team go tackle Real Sociedad, Pathum United and Bayern Munich ahead of dem clash with Paris Saint-Germain for di UEFA Super Cup on August 12.
Aston Villa, who be di reigning Europa League champions, go then face Borussia Monchengladbach for dem final friendly of di summer on August 15, before beginning dem 2026-27 Premier League season away to Brighton on August 23.
Emery side don make three signings so far this summer, with Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes and Modou Keba Cisse joining di European champions.
There don also be two particularly notable departures, with Youri Tielemans being sold to Manchester United, while Morgan Rogers don join Chelsea for a major outgoing.
Porto go be without dem players who compete at di 2026 World Cup, including Stephen Eustaquio, Diogo Costa and Hwang In-beom. Samu Aghehowa also be a long-term absentee with a serious knee injury, while Vasco Sousa don also been ruled out of this match with a fitness issue.
However, there go be a spot for di side for Rodrigo Mora, with di highly-rated 19-year-old not for di Portugal squad for di 2026 World Cup.
As for Aston Villa, Emery use 23 players against Walsall for di team first pre-season game of di summer, including new signing Gomes, who go start here.
January signing Brian Madjo score twice for Emery team, and di 17-year-old go again be given di nod through di middle against Porto this weekend.
Aston Villa remain without dem players involved for di 2026 World Cup, with John McGinn, Victor Lindelof, Emiliano Martinez, Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins all absent alongside new signing Manzambi, who suffer an injury during di summer tournament.
Amadou Onana pick up a serious knee injury while representing Belgium during di 2026 World Cup, meanwhile, and di 24-year-old now be a long-term absentee.
Both teams go again be missing plenty key players, but a host of talented footballers go still dey on display, and we dey predict a tight match to finish all square.
