UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – ASTON VILLA VS CLUB BRUGGE – 04/03/2025 (PHOTO – ASENSIO CELEBRATES)

ASTON VILLA HAD 7 SHOTS, WITH 4 ON TARGET, AND MADE 409 PASSES, WITH AN 86% PASS ACCURACY YESTERDAY, INCLUDING TWO STUNNING GOALS FROM LEON BAILEY, WITH AN EARLY OPENER AT JUST 3 MINS. INTO THE MATCH, PLUS MARCO ASENSIO’S CLINICAL PENALTY SHOT AT 88 MINS!  CLUB BRUGGE MADE 518 PASSES WITH AN 89% PASS ACCURACY AND HAD 11 SHOTS WITH 3 ON TARGET, INCLUDING A CRACKING SHOT FROM MAXIM DE CUYPER AT 12 MINS.  BUT WITH AN UNFORTUNATE OWN GOAL FROM BRANDON MECHELE AT 82 MINS., THIS EXCITING MATCH CULMINATED IN IN A 3 – 1 WIN TO ASTON VILLA.  (THEIR SIXTH WIN IN NINE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHES THIS SEASON!)

UNAI EMERY SPEAKS AFTER THE MATCH

“IT WAS AS WE PLANNED.  MY EXPECTATION WAS TO FACE THE DIFFICULTIES WE HAD.  WE HAD RESPECT AND TRIED TO ADAPT TO THEM MORE THAN USUAL LIKE I’D WANT.  AFTER THE ANALYSIS WE DID OF THE MATCH IN NOVEMBER, THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD STRUCTURE  WITH THE BALL.  WE DECIDED TO RESPECT THEM WHEN THEY HAD THE BALL, KEEPING GOOD POSITIONING.  THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS HOW WE COMPETED IN THE MATCH, SET-PIECES AND THE FIRST GOAL.  WE COMPETED EVEN MORE DEFENSIVELY THAN I WANTED.  WE NEEDED THE GOALKEEPER TYRONE MINGS’ SAVE.  WE CAN REMEMBER THE MATCH WE PLAYED BEFORE HERE WITH TYRONE.  THIS TIME HE SAVED A REALLY IMPORTANT ACTION.  HOW THE SUBSTITUTES RESPONDED IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES OF THE FIRST LEG, KEEPING THE SAME GAME PLAN WAS GOOD.”