Marco Asensio was the star of the show as Aston Villa triumphed 3-0 over 10-man Club Brugge on Wednesday to secure a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.
Coming off the bench in the second half, Asensio netted twice to seal the win for Villa in the second leg of their last-16 tie at Villa Park. The in-form Spanish forward, who has scored seven goals since joining on loan from PSG in January, will now face his parent club in the last eight.
Brugge were reduced to 10 men early in the first half when Kyriani Sabbe was sent off for a professional foul on Marcus Rashford, giving Villa the upper hand. Asensio capitalized on the man advantage, and Ian Maatsen also got on the scoresheet as Unai Emery’s side cruised to a 6-1 aggregate victory.
With Prince William, a well-known Villa fan, celebrating in the stands, the Premier League club reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 42 years. Their last appearance at this stage came in 1982-83 when they were eliminated by Juventus in the European Cup, the predecessor to the Champions League.
Villa’s progression to the quarters marks a historic achievement for Emery’s men, who are the first team to reach this stage in their debut Champions League campaign since Atalanta in the 2019-20 season. Along the way, they have secured impressive victories against Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, and Celtic.
Next up for Villa is a clash with PSG, who triumphed over Liverpool in a penalty shootout on Tuesday. The tie carries extra significance for Emery, who managed PSG for two years, winning Ligue 1 in 2018 but facing difficulties in the Champions League.
This marks only the second time in Emery’s career that he has reached the Champions League quarter-finals, having led Villarreal to the semi-finals in 2022. A repeat of Villa’s 1982 European Cup-winning triumph may be beyond them, but their fairytale run this season has already created memories that will last a lifetime.
– Songs of Praise –
The match began with fireworks lighting up Villa Park, and fans in the Holte End unfurled a massive flag emblazoned with the word “Prepared.” However, Villa initially seemed to ignore the message, as Brugge started the game with confidence.
Hans Vanaken, the Brugge captain, came close to scoring with a header that glanced just wide of the far post, and Raphael Onyedika saw his goal-bound shot blocked by Villa defender Ezri Konsa, causing some early anxiety among the Villa faithful.
Villa had lost 1-0 to Brugge in the group stage and needed two late goals in the first leg to take control of the tie. However, Brugge had never won in England in 14 previous visits, and the tension quickly lifted thanks to Rashford’s blistering pace.
In the 17th minute, Rashford raced onto a long punt from Emiliano Martinez, only to be brought down by Sabbe on the edge of the area. The Brugge defender was promptly sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. From the resulting free-kick, Youri Tielemans tested Simon Mignolet with a low drive, forcing the goalkeeper to make a sprawling save.
Emery made an inspired double substitution at halftime, bringing on Asensio and Leon Bailey, and the change paid off immediately. The pair combined in the 50th minute, with Bailey’s pass finding Asensio inside the Brugge area. Asensio spun and finished with clinical precision to give Villa the lead.
Moments later, Asensio hit the post, but Villa doubled their lead in the 57th minute through Maatsen. Morgan Rogers’ clever footwork created space for a cross, which deflected off Maatsen’s close-range shot and past Mignolet.
Asensio sealed Villa’s progression just four minutes later, meeting Rashford’s low cross with a sharp finish from six yards to cap off a memorable European night for the home side.
AFP
