Aston Villa face Barcelona test as Catalans defend unbeaten home record against English clubs

Barcelona have not lost at home to an English club in European competition for almost two decades, leaving Aston Villa with a formidable challenge when the sides meet.

According to statistics published on the official Champions League website, Barcelona are unbeaten in their past 15 home matches against English opposition, recording 10 wins and five draws.

Their last defeat came in the 2006-07 season, when Liverpool won 2-1 at Camp Nou in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. No English side has repeated that result since, and Aston Villa will now attempt to end the long-running sequence.

The two clubs have already met four times in European competition, across two two-legged ties.

Barcelona came through their quarter-final in the UEFA Cup in 1977-78. After a 2-2 draw in the away leg, they won the return 2-1 to secure a 4-3 aggregate victory.

Aston Villa responded in the European Super Cup in 1982. They lost the first leg at home 1-0 but overturned the deficit with a 3-0 victory in the second match, progressing 3-1 on aggregate.

Villa’s record in Spain offers little comfort before the latest meeting. They have won only once in eight European matches in the country, drawing three and losing four.

That sole victory came against Celta Vigo in the first leg of the second round of the UEFA Cup in 1998-99, when Villa won 1-0.

Yamal closing in on Champions League record

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal is also within one goal of claiming a Champions League record. He has scored 13 times in the competition before turning 20, matching the mark set by France international Kylian Mbappe.

One more goal would see Yamal become the outright record-holder for goals scored in the Champions League before a player’s 20th birthday.

The fixture information lists the relevant matches for 08 November 2026 as Manchester United against Aston Villa in the Premier League and Atletico Madrid against Barcelona in La Liga.