The Vikings are plotting another European raid and this time, it’s Prince William who has reason to worry.
Tonight, Norwegian minnows Viking FK head to Villa Park with the wind in their sails, fresh from holding German giants Bayern Munich to a pulsating 3-3 draw in the Champions League last week.
Despite hosting Bayern on home soil, Viking were given little hope of upsetting the Bundesliga champions, whose £878.7million squad is worth more than 18 times that of the Stavanger-based outfit.
Viking did more than spring a surprise against Bayern Munich. The underdogs carved out a stunning 2-0 half-time lead and then showed real character to snatch a last-gasp equaliser after Harry Kane and Co had fought their way back into the game.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, have made an impressive start to their own European campaign. Unai Emery‘s side edged past Club Brugge 3-2 in their opening Champions League clash before thumping Fenerbahce by six goals last week, establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with after lifting the Europa League trophy last season.
First up, Villa will have to contend with Viking’s indomitable spirit, fuelled by a fervent travelling support.
Aston Villa host Norwegian minnows Viking in the Champions League on Wednesday night
Viking stunned Harry Kane and Bayern Munich last week, holding the giants to a 3-3 draw
Viking have two managers at the helm with shared responsibility – Morten Jensen (right) and Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim (left) – and it has proved hugely successful since their arrival in 2021
After waiting 34 years to see their side back among Europe’s elite, the Norwegian faithful had barely settled before erupting in celebration as Viking took a shock lead after just 72 seconds.
Bayern’s sluggish start may have been compounded by reports that Viking fans set off fireworks outside the German side’s hotel at around 1.30am on the morning of the match, in an attempt to stop Vincent Kompany’s side from sleeping.
With Gianni Stensness having fired them in front, the home fans kept up their deafening support throughout the match, roaring the team on through every twist and turn of a thrilling contest.
‘That was the moment’, Viking’s chief executive Eirik Bjorno told Sky Sports, reflecting on the opening goal.
‘You are preparing for wave after wave, maybe having a counter-attack or two, and then you score from the first corner.’
Erik Nevland, the club’s sporting director, was left even more impressed by the second goal, which came in the 38th minute courtesy of Peter Christiansen.
‘You can always score early,’ he said. ‘But that was something that we had never dreamed of. It was crazy. More than we could expect. It was just a night for the history books.’
In many ways, Viking’s remarkable rise began with a simple dream – two great friends joining forces to lead the club as joint head coaches.
Viking uniquely have two managers steering their ship, with Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen sharing equal charge of the team since their appointment in January 2021.
When they first floated the idea, Aarsheim worked in banking and Jensen was employed in the oil and gas industry, both coaching separate local teams on the side.
The Norwegian minnows are competing in their first Champions League campaign since 1992
They will hope to wipe the smile off Aston Villa’s most famous fan Prince William (pictured during his team’s 6-0 thumping over Fenerbahce last week) when they head to Villa Park
Speaking of their partnership, Aarsheim told The Guardian earlier this month: ‘We were talking on the phone one evening, it must have been around 2012 or 2013. I remember us saying: “Hey, one day we should coach a team together.”
‘What’s impressive with Morten is how big he thinks and that he dares to tell it out loud. He talks about winning the league, the Champions League, everything, while I’m thinking: “Let’s just get a good team first”. But it transmits.
‘We put dreams to the players and put that flame inside for them to dream bigger. We don’t want players simply to be satisfied to play here.’
The two-boss setup has been hugely successful since Aarsheim and Jensen’s arrival, culminating in the club winning their first Eliteserien title in 34 years in 2025.
Despite missing out on the title last campaign, losing out to Bodo/Glimt on goal difference, Viking triumphed over Dinamo Zagreb to qualify for this season’s Champions League through the playoffs, marking their first appearance in the elite competition since 1992.
Viking captain Zlatko Tripic acts as the crucial glue between the two managers during matches, tasked with executing the shared tactical vision on the pitch while Aarsheim and Jensen coach in tandem.
They also split matchday and media duties equally, resisting the temptation to divide responsibilities into separate areas of expertise.
Ranked as one of the leading youth academies in Norway, Viking have profited hugely from homegrown talent, but they keep their eyes out for a certain type of youngster.
The academy’s strapline, displayed on the club’s website, is simple: ‘We are looking for potential, and looking for those who want it the most!’
Hard work, passion and dedication are at the heart of Viking’s youth set-up, with those values expected to carry through to the first team when young players earn their chance at senior level.
Just as important is a strong connection to the club and the Stavanger region it represents. For sporting director Nevland, success is about more than recruitment – it is about having players who genuinely care about Viking, its identity and what it means to the local community.
Unai Emery pictured in training as Villa prepare to play host to the Vikings on Wednesday night
Homegrown midfielder Simen Kvia-Egeskog is a natural embodiment of that philosophy, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Svein Kvia, who made almost 300 appearances for Viking and remains a much-loved club legend.
As Turkish giants Fenerbahce will tell you, travelling to Villa Park is no easy feat. But Viking have already shown they are capable of unsettling a European giant, and their remarkable performance against Bayern Munich suggests they will not be overawed by the occasion.
