Club Brugge vs Aston Villa LIVE: Champions League result and final score as two late goals turn tie around
Club Brugge 1-3 Aston Villa: A late own goal and Marco Asensio penalty put Unai Emery’s side in charge of the last-16 tie
Aston Villa earned a 3-1 win away to Club Brugge in their Champions League last-16 first leg in Belgium, thanks to an own goal and a penalty kick in the final eight minutes.
Villa were in front in the third minute when Leon Bailey fired a first-time shot into the bottom corner but the hosts were level nine minutes later through Maxim De Cuyper.
The tie appeared to be heading for a draw until Brandon Mechele put the ball into his own net eight minutes from time and with two minutes left Marco Asensio converted from the penalty spot.
The sides will meet again at Villa Park next Wednesday for the second leg, to decide who will face either Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals. Follow all the Champions League reaction with our live blog below:
GOAL! Club Brugge 0-1 Aston Villa (BAILEY 3')
WHAT A START FOR ASTON VILLA!
Villa loft a free-kick into the box from the halfway line, Mings knocks it down to the penalty spot and finds Bailey, who moves Rogers out of the way, to slam the half-volley past Simon Mignolet!!!
Scenes in the away end. Villa lead after just three minutes.
Club Brugge 0-0 Aston Villa
1 mins: A very cautious start from Brugge, who are sitting off the visitors when they have the ball. Villa, all in white, quickly regain the ball trough Tielemans after Rashford dribbled into trouble.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
Here we go! The sound of the Champions League anthem greets what is one of Aston Villa’s biggest nights in a generation; a knockout tie in Belgium against Club Brugge with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs over the next two legs.
Kick off is next.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa team news and how to watch
Club Brugge XI: Mignolet; Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Onyedika, Jashari; Talbi, Vanaken, Tzolis; Jutgla
Subs: Jackers, Romero, Vetlesen, Vermant, Nilsson, Skoras, Nielsen, Siquet, Spileers, Campbell
Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Konsa, Disasi, Mings, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins
Subs: Olsen, Zych, Cash, Torres, Asensio, Maatsen, Bogarde, Ramsey, Kamara
In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1. Subscribers can also watch online and via the discovery+ app.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, speaking to TNT Sports, on tonight’s last-16 tie.
"Of course, we know the potential and we know we have to be strong. Defensively, tactically and more or less organised and try to stop their gameplan. The challenge is to be competitive away and try win the match. It is a tough match and we respect them a lot."
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
Tonight is Marcus Rashford’s first Champions League appearance since November 2023, when he was sent off for Manchester United against FC Copenhagen.
The 27-year-old has scored 12 Champions League goals in his career, but just one over the last four seasons.
Brugge's teenage talent
Chemsdine Talbi has been directly involved in three goals in his last two Champions League appearances for Club Brugge (two goals, one assist).
No Belgian teenager has ever netted three goals in a single edition of the competition (Talbi on two in 2024-25).
Martinez proving his worth
Among players remaining in the 2024-25 edition, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez has prevented more goals than any other goalkeeper in the Champions League this season (+4.4 – six conceded from 10.4 xG on target faced).
Indeed, the Argentinean has only been beaten with six of the 39 shots on target he’s faced in Europe this term (85% save percentage).
Long range maestros
No team have scored more goals from outside the box than Aston Villa (5) in the Champions League this season.
Of sides to score 10+ goals in a campaign, their percentage scored from outside the box (38% - 5/13) is the highest in a single edition since Villarreal in 2008-09 (38% - 5/13).
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