Aston Villa is on the verge of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals after a decisive win against Brugge, highlighted by an own goal from Brandon Mechele.
Mechele, the Brugge defender wearing a face mask, made a critical error in the 82nd minute, redirecting Morgan Rogers’ cross past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, handing Villa a 2-1 lead.
Unai Emery’s team extended their lead just six minutes later. Christos Tzolis of Brugge caused a penalty when he fouled Matty Cash in the box.
Marco Asensio, coming off the bench, calmly converted the penalty, marking his fifth goal for Villa and leaving Brugge facing a tough challenge in the return leg.
Villa celebrated a significant away victory, showcasing resilience throughout the match.
Barring a major upset at Villa Park, Aston Villa is set to face either Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.
They successfully navigated the intense atmosphere at Brugge’s Jan Breydelstadion and are eager to play the second leg at home, where they remain unbeaten in their last 14 games.
Asensio’s current scoring form adds to Villa’s confidence.
Villa started strongly, taking the lead within three minutes.
A simple yet effective play saw Brugge’s defense falter. Youri Tielemans, despite being booed by Brugge fans due to his Anderlecht past, delivered a long free-kick. Tyrone Mings headed the ball down, and Leon Bailey was there to strike a left-footed half-volley into the net.
This early goal gave Villa the momentum.
Marcus Rashford, making his first Champions League start since a red card against Copenhagen in November 2023, was also active early on.
Rashford combined well with Bailey for a one-two, but his low shot was stopped by Mignolet.
However, Brugge quickly responded, exposing Villa’s defense to equalize within three minutes. Ardon Jashari found space in midfield and passed to Christos Tzolis, whose cross reached Maxim De Cuyper. De Cuyper then scored past Emi Martinez.
The Jan Breydelstadion erupted as Brugge leveled the score.
Questions arose about Villa’s defense as Leon Bailey didn’t track De Cuyper’s run, and Axel Disasi’s positioning was questionable.
Both teams traded blows early on and became more cautious.
The game became a midfield battle.
Villa managed to reach halftime tied, thanks to a key save by Emi Martinez.
Martinez made an impressive save just past the half-hour mark, denying Chemsdine Talbi’s low shot.
The match was tense, with Unai Emery visibly animated on the sidelines.
Rashford had a physical battle with Brugge’s young right-back Kyriani Sabbe, managing to get past him just before halftime, but his cross was caught by Mignolet.
At halftime, Villa fans anticipated the introduction of Marco Asensio, hoping his experience could secure a win.
The second half began with a tighter approach from both teams after the early goals.
Emi Martinez again demonstrated his quality, saving a powerful long-range shot from Onyedika.
Around the hour mark, Emery made a quadruple substitution, which proved effective. Matty Cash, Jacob Ramsey, Boubacar Kamara, and Marco Asensio replaced Disasi, Rashford, Bailey, and McGinn.
This substitution marked Asensio’s 50th Champions League appearance as a substitute, a competition record.
Asensio almost immediately made an impact, forcing Mignolet to make a save after a pass from Jacob Ramsey. The rebound fell to Cash, but he missed the target.
Brugge also threatened, with Vanaken nearly heading his team into the lead, his attempt just missing the post with Martinez beaten.
Tzolis then missed a chance, shooting wide after a setup by Vanaken.
Marcus Bellamy