Hibernian-Aston Villa is a match valid for the Conference League qualifying playoffs and is played Wednesday at 6:45 p.m.: predictions.
When English and Scottish teams face each other, they are never trivial challenges, especially because of the load of extra-football meanings they carry. On a technical and qualitative level, however, there is often a real gulf between the clubs participating in the Premier League and those in the Premiership, unless it is the two biggies Rangers and Celtic.
In the play-offs for access to the Conference League group stage, on the other hand, Aston Villa, which fervently dreams of returning to play a Uefa competition 12 years after the last time, and Hibernian, the historic Edinburgh club, which has been involved in the preliminaries since last July, will clash. The Villans, as was the case with West Ham last year – the predictions were ultimately fulfilled – start unquestionably among the favorites to win the cup. Ownership has invested so much again this year to give Unai Emery a long squad and good spares so that he can cope best with the grueling double weekly commitment. The latest purchase was that of Nicolò Zaniolo, who arrived from Galatasaray. The former Roma player adds to a list that already included the likes of Tielemans, Diaby and Pau Torres. In the first two days of the Premier League we have seen a two-faced Aston Villa: first the humiliating defeat (5-1) in the opener against Newcastle, then the bombastic 4-0 thrashing of Everton last Sunday.
McGinn finds “his” Hibs
Hibernian’s season began last July, however.In the first qualifying round the Scots had to overturn Inter Club d’Escaldes, which had resoundingly got the better of them 2-1 in the first leg. In the return leg there was no history, with Lee Johnson’s green-and-whites overwhelming the Andorrans with a very clear 6-1.
Hibernian players celebrate a goal
In the second round the “Hibs” had to deal with the Swiss of Lucerne (3-1 and 2-2), tamed inside two other very prolific matches. The Edinburgh formation, however, is disappointing in the league, where so far it has collected two defeats out of two. The Easter Road stadium is preparing to welcome back John McGinn, now captain of Aston Villa, but with a past right in the green-and-white jersey. In fact, he wore it from 2015 to 2018.
The Prediction
Emery in Scotland should field a fairly competitive lineup and it is difficult, quite frankly, to imagine a result other than a victory for the Villans, who are clearly superior to their “cousins.” The Villans should likely finish ahead in both halves of the game.v
The probable lineups of Hibernian-Aston Villa
- HIBERNIAN (4-2-3-1): Marshall; Miller, Fish, Hanlon, Stevenson; Newell, Campbell; Youan, Le Fondre, Boyle; Vente.
- ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Diaby, McGinn, Bailey; Watkins.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
