Aston Villa kicked off their pre-season schedule on Wednesday evening with the club’s annual friendly against Walsall.
Twenty-two players got minutes in the tank and gained valuable match sharpness at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.
The only goal of the game arrived after 38 minutes when Harrison Burke flicked home from close-range.
Charlie Pavey, Lewis Dobbin and Yasin Ozcan all came close to netting an equaliser, but Unai Emery’s side were handed a narrow defeat.
Villa head to Germany to face Hansa Rostock on Saturday for the second of eight matches in preparation for the 2025/26 campaign.
Walsall v Aston Villa.
A young squad made the short trip to face the League Two side, with several Academy players starting alongside senior squad members Ross Barkley, Pau Torres, Álex Moreno, Lamare Bogarde, Joe Gauci and Jacob Ramsey.
The Saddlers, featuring former Villan Albert Adomah, made a bright start and saw Aaron Pressley send a header over the bar before Charlie Lakin’s low shot was saved well by Gauci.
Walsall continued to push forward, and after Mason Hancock planted a header narrowly over the bar, the hosts got their reward.
Walsall v Aston Villa.
Jamie Jellis took aim from outside the box and watched on as his wayward shot was turned past substitute ‘keeper Filip Marschall by Burke with a skilful flick.
Villa made ten changes at the break as Emery got minutes into the legs of as many players as possible in their pre-season opener.
Tyrone Mings, Andres Garcia and Boubacar Kamara were among the players to emerge for the second half as the away side looked to level the scores.
Walsall v Aston Villa.
And the visitors threatened an equaliser on the hour mark when Pavey steered a diving header narrowly wide from Bradley Burrowes’ cross.
A clinical counter-attack started by Burrowes and led by Dobbin ended with a shooting opportunity for the latter, whose drive was parried away by Sam Hornby.
Villa came even closer moments later when Kamara played Pavey through on goal, but the young forward’s chipped finish landed in the side-netting.
The wrong side of the net was struck again inside the final five minutes via a rasping drive from the left foot of Ozcan.
Villa were unable to find a way through in the time that remained as pre-season started with a loss.
Gauci (Marschall 30’), Moreno, Mosquera, Torres, Rowe, Bogarde, Barkley, Ramsey, Young, Jimoh-Aloba, Barry.
Second half XI
Marschall, Ozcan, Mings, Carroll, Garcia, Patterson, Kamara, Hemmings, Pavey, Burrowes, Dobbin.