Aston Villa’s preparations for the new campaign ramp up this weekend with two final pre-season friendlies.

Marseille host Villa on Saturday night at 6:00 pm at the Stade Vélodrome, before Villarreal welcome them to the Estadi de la Ceràmica on Sunday at 9:00 pm.

It’s unusual for Villa to play two matches in one weekend, especially in different countries, but it is expected that two separate squads will feature in each game, allowing the club’s first-team stars to get 90 minutes under their belts.

The Premier League campaign then gets underway against Newcastle United the following weekend, with kick-off at 12:30 pm on Saturday, August 16.

Villa began their pre-season with defeats to Walsall and Hansa Rostock, before heading to the USA.

After a 2-2 draw with Eintracht Frankfu

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