Aston Villa fought back from an early deficit to level against FC Porto on Saturday, but ultimately fell 2-1 in a high-tempo pre-season friendly at the Estádio do Dragão. Villa’s summer schedule remains packed, with three more friendlies before the UEFA Super Cup on August 12.
What happened in Porto?
Villa started brightly and equalised inside 12 minutes through Luka Lynch, but Porto regained the lead before half-time and held on after the break. Porto led 2-1 at the interval after goals from Pepê and João Carvalho inside the opening 41 minutes. Ross Barkley picked up a yellow card in the 29th minute as Villa pushed for an equaliser.
Why it matters for Aston Villa
Villa arrived in Portugal full of confidence after a 5-0 demolition of Walsall in their previous pre-season outing. Unai Emery’s side featured a mix of first-team regulars and young talent, though several players remained unavailable after World Cup duty. New signing João Gomes featured, while young striker Bryan Madjo aimed to build on his brace against Walsall.
What comes next for Aston Villa?
Villa’s pre-season continues with friendlies against Real Sociedad, Indonesia All-Stars, and BG Pathum United before the UEFA Super Cup clash with Paris Saint-Germain on August 12. The club’s official streaming platform and the SportsEngine Play app carried the match live in the UK and US respectively.
Villa sit fourth in the Premier League after last season’s 65-point haul, 20 points adrift of Arsenal. Their recent form reads four wins and a draw, with the last result a 2-1 victory at Manchester City on May 24, 2026.
