Aston Villa coasted into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a comfortable victory over 10-man Club Brugge as Marco Asensio struck twice to set up a clash with his parent club Paris Saint-Germain.
Club Brugge had a mountain to climb after last week’s 3-1 defeat in Belgium and the task became even harder when right back Kyriani Sabbe was shown a straight red card in the 15th minute for fouling Marcus Rashford on the edge of the box.
Sabbe was the last man and was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity – but it did not take until the second half for Aston Villa to press home their advantage.
Asensio and Leon Bailey came off the bench and combined as the Spaniard continued his excellent form to hook a finish into the top corner. Ian Maatsen added another five minutes later, with Asensio then scoring his second from Rashford’s pass.
Villa played the rest of the game on cruise control and can now look forward to a quarter-final clash with Liverpool’s conquerors PSG, in a match that will see Unai Emery face his former club and Asensio play against the team he’s on loan from.
Aston Villa vs Club Brugge: Latest Champions League updates
- FULL TIME! Aston Villa through to quarter-finals with win over 10-man Club Brugge
- Marco Asensio scores twice as Villa set up clash with Paris Saint-Germain
- 61′ GOAL! Marco Asensio scores again as Villa puinish 10-man Brugge (AVL 3-0 BRU)
- 55′ GOAL! Ian Maatsen doubles Villa’s lead on the night from Rogers pass (AVL 2-0 BRU)
- 53′ POST! Asensio rolls shot against the post with Mignolet beaten (AVL 1-0 BRU)
- 48′ GOAL! Asensio, on at half-time, hooks in finish to put Villa through (AVL 1-0 BRU)
- 15′ RED CARD! Club Brugge down to 10 as Sabbe brings down Rashford (AVL 0-0 BRU)
‘It’s mad’: John McGinn on Aston Villa progress
22:28 , Jamie Braidwood
Aston Villa captain John McGinn, who played for the club in the Championship six yards ago, on his side’s progress to the quarter-finals speaks to TNT Sports.
“It’s mad. A lot of years of hard work. It doesn’t get much harder than PSG over two legs. We have important games before that [against Preston in the FA Cup quarter-finals].
“I watched it [Liverpool v PSG] but you don’t want to get too far ahead of yourselves. Villa, Champions League quarter-finalists. Can’t ask for much more.
“We’re giving these fans experiences they’ll remember forever. We want to write our names in history and make these nights more frequent.”
The Aston Villa star who represents remarkable rise and offers Champions League boost
22:17 , Richard Jolly
Six years ago, Aston Villa’s April included a trip to Rotherham. Now they will visit Paris next month. Their horizons have broadened, their life got more glamorous. A Championship club in 2019 are Champions League quarter-finalists in 2025.
They will face Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight after a brace from a PSG player, with the benefit that Marco Asensio will be eligible to play his parent club in the Parc des Princes. It is another indication of how far and how fast Villa have come that a triple Champions League winner was on the scoresheet for them again. So, too, was Ian Maatsen, a Champions League finalist with Borussia Dortmund last season. Club Brugge, who scarcely boast the resources to attract such players, were eliminated.
The Aston Villa star who represents remarkable rise and offers Champions League boost
FULL TIME! Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
22:00 , Jamie Braidwood
Champions League draw in full
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa
- Real Madrid / Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal
- Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund
- Bayern Munich vs Inter
FULL TIME! Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:54 , Richard Jolly
After a forgettable first half, a hugely enjoyable second for Aston Villa. Paris Saint-Germain will be hearing Hi Ho Aston Villa here next month, a club who were in the Championship six years ago playing in the Champions League quarter-finals now. It is a terrific achievement by Unai Emery.
FULL TIME!Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:50 , Jamie Braidwood
We skip added time! Aston Villa are through to the quarter-finals!
Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:47 , Jamie Braidwood
86 mins: Rashford is desperate for a goal and gets a sniff of a chance as he’s played through into the box. Vanaken steps across well to deny him.
Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:43 , Jamie Braidwood
82 mins: Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain have never played each other but there is plenty of narrative still between the teams, with Unai Emery set to face the team he managed between 2016 and 2018.
Unfortunately for the Spaniard, his time at PSG is best remembered for their historic collapse at Barcelona in the Remontada.
Emery would go head to head with the Barcelona manager from that famous night, in Luis Enrique.
Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:37 , Jamie Braidwood
77 mins: Terrific save from Mignolet, down low to his left, to keep out a curling effort from his Belgian team-mate Youri Tielemans.
Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:35 , Jamie Braidwood
74 mins: Aston Villa don’t play this weekend (their Premier League match was brought forward due to Liverpool being in the Carabao Cup final), so their next game is not until that Preston quarter-final on March 30.
Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:28 , Jamie Braidwood
The good news for Villa fans is we are pretty confident that Asensio will be eligible to play against PSG.
Can Marco Asensio play for Aston Villa against PSG in the Champions League?
Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:27 , Richard Jolly
What a cameo from Marco Asensio. Two goals so far, with only the post denying him a hat-trick. He is a class act and he should be eligible to face his parent club PSG in the quarter-finals.
GOAL! Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 on agg.)
21:22 , Jamie Braidwood
ASENSIO AGAIN AND IT’S RAINING GOALS!
Villa are punishing the 10 men of Club Brugge. It’s super football from Emery’s team, with Rogers finding Rashford, who springs behind the defence and pulls it back to Asensio for a simple finish.
SEVEN GOALS for Villa – three against Brugge.
And that’s a fourth assist for Rashford too since joining Villa.
Aston Villa 2-0 Club Brugge (5-1 on agg.)
21:20 , Jamie Braidwood
60 mins: Villa Park was quiet and tense in the first half but the home fans and belting out the songbook now.
Aston Villa 2-0 Club Brugge (5-1 on agg.)
21:19 , Jamie Braidwood
It stands! Villa fans can start booking their trips to Paris in April.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-0 Club Brugge (5-1 on agg.)
21:17 , Jamie Braidwood
GAME OVER! VILLA ARE HEADING THROUGH!
It might be offside…. but brilliant footwork from Rogers on the byline helps to set up Maatsen. A deflection helps it in, but it doubles Villa’s lead on the night.
If it stands…
Aston Villa 1-0 Club Brugge (4-1 on agg.)
21:15 , Jamie Braidwood
52 mins: Ah it should be two! Asensio is played through with just Mignolet to beat. Villa Park is already celebrating but Asensio rolls his shot onto the post!
He was almost off celebrating too.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Club Brugge (4-1 on agg.)
21:10 , Jamie Braidwood
WHAT AN IMPACT FROM MARCO ASENSIO!
Villa are heading to the quarter-finals!
It was Asensio who started the move, and it’s another substitute who sets him up. Bailey threads a neat pass through and Asensio hooks it into the top corner. Top finish. His sixth goal for Villa since arriving in late January.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
21:09 , Jamie Braidwood
48 mins: SAVE! Wonderful touch and turn from Tyrone Mings in the box. How he ended up there I’m not sure. Good save from Mignolet high to his left.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
21:06 , Richard Jolly
47 mins: Emery has sent for Marco Asensio and Leon Bailey. After the torpor of the first half, he may be looking to win the game, and not just the tie, especially as the holding midfielder Boubacar Kamara has gone off. John McGinn will drop into a deeper role.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
21:05 , Jamie Braidwood
46 mins: And we’re back underway.
HALF TIME! Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
21:05 , Jamie Braidwood
Watkins and Kamara make way. Clearly, Emery was not happy with that first half.
HALF TIME! Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
21:04 , Jamie Braidwood
CHANGES! Marco Asensio and Leon Bailey are coming on for Aston Villa.
HALF TIME! Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
20:50 , Jamie Braidwood
A strange game indeed. Aston Villa have not been very good but they may not need to be to reach the quarter-finals.
Kyriani Sabbe’s red card, for denying a goalscoring opportunity when Marcus Rashford was through, has eliminated any jeopardy from the occasion.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
20:46 , Jamie Braidwood
44 mins: Mings, of all players, pops up near the edge of the box like a rampaging full-back and clips a fine cross back to Rashford.
Rashford shoots into the side-netting.
Watkins is back on, by the way.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
20:43 , Jamie Braidwood
42 mins: Watkins is back up and walking. Villa aren’t preparing a change, which could be a good sign.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
20:41 , Jamie Braidwood
39 mins: Oh no… Ollie Watkins goes down after a collision with Mechele as the defender looked to clear the ball. Not what Aston Villa or Unai Emery want to see.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
20:37 , Richard Jolly
34 mins: A bit of a strange occasion here. The drama in the night may be confined to the red card. If so, one moment of explosiveness from Marcus Rashford has justified his selection and ensured Villa’s participation in the last eight. Brugge, to their credit, have shown some positive intent with 10 men but the odds are stacked against them.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
20:34 , Jamie Braidwood
32 mins: As it stands, Aston Villa will have an FA Cup quarter-final against Preston and Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain in the space of two weeks from 30 March to 9 April. Exciting times for them.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (3-1 on agg.)
20:32 , Jamie Braidwood
30 mins: Lovely pass from Tielemans to spot a trademark Watkins run but Ordonez recovers to step in front of the striker and ease him off the ball.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:31 , Jamie Braidwood
27 mins: Villa aren’t exactly in a rush to finish this tie off. They’ve yet to trouble Mignolet again since the Tielemans free-kick.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:24 , Jamie Braidwood
21 mins: The tension in this tie, which was building in the opening 15 minutes, has all but evaporated after that red card for Brugge.
Prince William is at Villa Park watching on as Villa look to reach the semi-finals.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:20 , Jamie Braidwood
18 mins: SAVE! Mignolet denies Tielemans’ free-kick, which went through the wall and had to be dealt with.
A huge boost to Villa, who were favourites to progress anyway. Club Brugge will need a miracle to come from two goals down with 10 men.
RED CARD! Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:18 , Jamie Braidwood
15 mins: RED CARD FOR CLUB BRUGGE!
Martinez’s long pass to Rashford breaks the line – it’s a brilliant ball and Rashford beats Sabbe in the foot race. It’s outside the box and Sabbe has to go after tugging Rashford to ground!
Brugge, who have started the better team, are down to 10 men!
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:15 , Jamie Braidwood
14 mins: Sabbi’s cross is headed behind by Konsa. Brugge had numbers out wide but will settle for the corner.
Villa clear but it’s Brugge who have started with 66% of the possession in the first 15 minutes.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:13 , Richard Jolly
12 min: Brugge have sprung a shock or two already in this season’s Champions League and they have started positively in their bid for another. Villa may be caught between two minds, wondering how attacking and how defensive to be, to go for another goal or to bank on progress via a clean sheet. So far, much of the game has been played in their half.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:11 , Jamie Braidwood
11 mins: It’s been a very good opening spell from Club Brugge. Let’s not forget that they were arguably the best team on the night in last week’s first leg. Onyedika’s shot is blocked by Konsa, with Villa on the back foot early on.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:10 , Jamie Braidwood
9 mins: Chance! Decent move again from Brugge. De Cuyper’s early cross finds the captain Vanaken , who gets across Mings. His header is swept across goal and wide.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:08 , Jamie Braidwood
6 mins: Shot! Good switch from Brugge, over to the wing-back De Cuyper. Cash plays a risky pass infield and Sabbe tries his luck from the edge of the box but shoots over.
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:05 , Jamie Braidwood
4 mins: Interesting to see Maatsen get the call tonight. He was a Champions League finalist with Borussia Dortmund last season. Hasn’t quite hit the ground running on his first season at Villa. .
Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:03 , Jamie Braidwood
2 mins: Not quite the same start as in Madrid, where Atletico have scored inside 20 seconds against the holders…
Club Brugge start off with plenty of the ball. A long throw is cleared after a foul on Cash.
KICK-OFF! Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
20:01 , Jamie Braidwood
What a noise! The Villa fans have turned up. Can Unai Emery’s side do the same and make it to the quarter-finals.
Aston Villa vs Club Brugge
19:57 , Jamie Braidwood
Five minutes to go until kick-off and Villa Park is rocking.
A huge Tifo in the Holte End gives the message: ‘Prepared’.
It’s spine-tingling as the players walk out to the Champions League anthem.
Reminder of the team news and how to watch
19:53 , Jamie Braidwood
Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Kamara, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins.
Club Brugge XI: Mignolet; Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Onyedika, Jashari; Talbi, Vanaken, Tzolis; Jutgla.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1. Subscribers can stream the action via discovery+.
‘Historic night on the cards for Aston Villa’
19:31 , Richard Jolly, at Villa Park
Quite a few occasions for Aston Villa in Unai Emery’s reign have been historic. This could be another if Villa reach a European Cup quarter-final for the first time in more than four decades. They have Emi Martinez back while Emery has selected Marcus Rashford, with the multiple Champions League winner Marco Asensio held in reserve. They ought to be too good for Club Brugge.
