Key occasions
Half time: Membership Brugge 0-0 Aston Villa
Goalless however a really participating recreation, with the hosts coming closest to scoring when Ferran Jutgla hit the publish and repeatedly placing Villa beneath stress. The guests have had possibilities on the break, Watkins firing huge and McGinn heading over, however will likely be glad to emerge from that half nonetheless on degree phrases. Extra quickly.
47 minutes: Tielemans floats in a protracted ball which just about finds Mings, earlier than Brugge take care of Maatsen’s tried cross on the rebound.
46 minutes: A late Villa free-kick, as Watkins is introduced down by Mechele on the sting of the centre-circle. This is able to, fairly frankly, be a really perfect time for the guests to attain.
45 minutes: Nielsen overlaps with Skov Olsen on the fitting and crosses in dangerously, but it surely’s headed clear. Two added minutes.
44 minutes: The plan for Villa appears to be to maintain possession and see issues out till half-time. No person advised Diego Carlos, whose tried lengthy move from 40 yards out flies into the stands.
41 minutes: Villa are simply attempting to get a foothold once more, slowing issues down with a passing transfer after that barrage of Brugge possibilities.
39 minutes: From a nook, Skov Olsen units up Tzolis, whose shot is charged down by Maatsen. The Danish winger then wriggles freed from Maatsen down the left, however his cross is claimed by Martinez.
37 minutes: An important tempo to this recreation, with Villa pouring ahead now, and McGinn testing Mignolet with a shot from simply exterior the world. On that Nielsen probability – Mings was in the fitting place to clear away, however solely as a result of he had charged away from Nielsen because the cross got here in. Unsure why he did that, but it surely labored out.
35 minutes: Extra possibilities for Membership Brugge! First, the spectacular De Cuyper will get free down the left, and crosses to Nielsen, whose awkward back-header beats Martínez however is cleared off the road by Mings. Once more, the hosts are first to the follow-up, with Jashari pounding in a shot from distance that Martínez will get sufficient of his physique behind.
33 minutes: McGinn crosses in the direction of Watkins on the far publish, and he will get above two defenders to move again throughout purpose. No person’s there to fulfill it, and Brugge threaten to interrupt away – however McGinn will get again to tidy up Kamara’s wild tried clearance.
31 minutes: On the different finish, Tielemans threads a move by to Rogers, who takes a contact and curls his shot over the bar, simply rippling the roof of the web because it dips too late.
29 minutes: Club Brugge hit the publish! They win the ball again and this time, Tzolis’ slide-rule ball finds Jutgla, who fires previous Martinez … however hits the close to publish. Moments later, Tzolis attracts a fantastic save from Martinez, low to his left. The hosts with the higher hand on the minute …
28 minutes: The hosts look the extra cohesive facet going ahead, though Villa are making possibilities on the counter. Right here, Tzolis’ tried by ball is intercepted …
25 minutes: A worrying growth for Unai Emery, as Tyrone Mings – making his Champions League debut tonight – is booked for a foul on Jutgla. Diego Carlos protests the reserving, and will get one himself, so each Villa centre-backs are actually on yellow playing cards.
24 minutes: An agreeable end-to-end movement to the sport now, as Tielemans frees Kamara, who crosses in the direction of McGinn, bursting previous the again 4. He’s unmarked, however can’t climb excessive sufficient to steer his header on course.
23 minutes: On the different finish, Ordonez hits a half-decent effort from 25 yards that’s caught by Martínez.
22 minutes: Shut from Watkins! The Villa striker is once more outnumbered by defenders, however he opens up a capturing angle with a sidestep and sends his shot simply huge of the far publish, with Mignolet rooted to the spot.
19 minutes: Jutgla, who’s taking part in because the central striker, nearly will get his boot on to a harmful deep cross from Ordonez, having given Diego Carlos the slip.
“Re: Inter v Actual Madrid. I’m squinting actually laborious, however there simply aren’t sufficient commas within the mixed switch charges to make it work,” writes Joe Pearson. “And there’s no approach you can confuse Emery with Ancelotti.” You would perhaps mistake Nicky Hayen for Zinedine Zidane – if he cropped his hair and placed on a retro France prime? No?
16 minutes: Casper Nielsen, whose burgeoning ‘tache suggests he’s “doing” Movember, is booked for a slipshod problem on Tielemans. Villa look to interrupt upfield, however Bailey and McGinn can’t join down the fitting flank.
15 minutes: Maybe sensing my consideration had wandered, Tzolis wins a free kick excessive up the pitch. It’s performed horizontally to De Cuyper, whose low shot is well held by Martinez.
14 minutes: In case you’ve clicked on this MBM hoping for some ‘In Bruges’ references, I’ve to admit that I’ve by no means really seen the movie. What cult classics have you ever by no means acquired spherical to watching? Get in contact.
13 minutes: Villa are urgent a bit larger up now and win the ball down by the nook flag, organising Rogers for a shot that flies low and huge. From the nook, they’re penalised for a foul.
12 minutes: Tonight’s different early kick-off options Shakhtar Donetsk and Younger Boys, and is at the moment goalless. That recreation is being performed in Gelsenkirchen, not one million miles away from Bruges.
9 minutes: Bailey tries the identical trick, with a sensible by ball performed rapidly in to Watkins. He has three defenders to cope with, and whereas he will get away from two, Joel Ordóñez does very effectively to get throughout and poke the ball again to Mignolet.
8 minutes: Bailey tries to attach with Rogers, however his move runs by to Mignolet.
7 minutes: In case you squint, this may very well be Inter v Actual Madrid. No, preserve squinting. A bit more durable.
6 minutes: Rogers appears for McGinn, who has pushed up into the world, however the ball deflects on to a Brugge arm. The referee waves away appeals for what would have been a free kick subsequent to the ‘D’.
4 minutes: The hosts, overwhelmed simply as soon as at dwelling within the league since February, have made the extra optimistic begin. They’ll be hoping to make life harder for Villa than Younger Boys did within the opening spherical of video games.
2 minutes: Tzolis cuts previous Konsa to the byline and rolls the ball throughout purpose – it’s begging to be put away, however no one anticipates the cross and will get to the far publish in time.
1 min: Youri Tielemans’ each contact is being booed, as a result of he used to play for Anderlecht. That Belgian beef runs deep.
Kick off
We can have a minute’s silence earlier than the beginning, in reminiscence of the victims of flooding in Valencia. Unai Emery has shut ties to the area, having managed Valencia and Villarreal beforehand in his profession.
The gamers are out on the pitch on a gentle evening in Bruges. Everybody strains up for the Champions League anthem, a couple of handshakes and we’re good to go. The hosts are of their conventional blue and black stripes, Villa in an all-white variation on their away equipment.
Unai Emery: “We are attempting to handle totally different moments in numerous competitions, however the gamers [tonight] can be found and prepared. This competitors is one thing particular, and we have now to separate it from the Premier League … taking part in away from dwelling, attempting to win and get one other clear sheet – it’s a problem for us tonight.”
“I can’t start to let you know how a lot I loved Sporting’s thrashing of Manchester Metropolis final evening and much more the justifications which were trotted out about accidents,” writes Rick Harris. “The PL is by far the richest league on the planet and PL golf equipment have the monetary clout to outbuy nearly all different golf equipment, so no excuses for Villa tonight or Arsenal in the event that they get gubbed.”
On the Club Brugge group sheet, essentially the most acquainted identify to British readers is veteran keeper Simon Mignolet, previously of Liverpool and Sunderland. They’re lacking some key gamers tonight – Raphael Onyedika is suspended, and fellow midfielder Hugo Vetlesen solely on the bench as he recovers from harm.
Striker Gustaf Nilsson, signed from Union SG in the summertime, can be out injured, leaving Hayen’s facet with out an attacking focus. They’ve loads of inventive expertise, although, within the likes of Andreas Skov Olsen, Spanish ahead Ferran Jutglà and Greek winger Christos Tzolis, who scored a belter within the group’s away win over Sturm Graz.
Some pre-game studying, on extra Enjoyable and Video games in South America:
Loads o’ modifications from Unai Emery after the 4-1 shoeing at Tottenham, with Diego Carlos, Tyrone Mings and Ian Maatsen coming into the again 4. Kamara replaces Onana in midfield, with Leon Bailey changing Jacob Ramsey additional ahead. Ollie Watkins retains his place forward of Jhon Durán, who might not be too thrilled about it.
Workforce information
Membership Brugge (4-3-3): Mignolet; Seys, Ordoñez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Jashari, Nielsen, Vanaken (c); Skov Olsen, Tzolis, Jutgla.
Subs: Jackers, Romero, Vetlesen, Meijer, Vermant, Skoras, Siquet, Spileers, Sabbe, Talbi.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Konsa, Diego Carlos, Mings, Maatsen; Kamara, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, McGinn (c); Watkins.
Subs: Gauci, Olsen, Durán, Buendia, Digne, Torres, Philogene-Bidace, Nedeljkovic, Onana, Bogarde, Ramsey, Swinkels.
Referee: Tobias Stieler (Germany)
Preamble
Aston Villa’s Champions League run is likely to be the feelgood story of the season to this point – and we may all use a feelgood story proper now, couldn’t we? Within the Premier League, Villa have compelled their approach into an expanded “huge eight” – and that’s additionally the very sensible goal Unai Emery has set his gamers in Europe.
Victory in Belgium tonight would see Villa be a part of Liverpool as the one groups with a 100% document from 4 video games – and effectively on the way in which to securing a top-eight end, and a golden ticket to the final 16. Emery’s facet are but to concede a purpose in Europe this season, and can kick off towards Club Brugge as heat favourites to make it 4 wins from 4.
That mentioned, the fixture record from right here is hard (Juventus and Celtic at dwelling, Leipzig and Monaco away) and with the continental itinerary creating some home turbulence –and a few huge Premier League video games to barter earlier than the tip of January – Emery will likely be very eager to get an additional three factors on the board right here.
Standing of their approach are a group rediscovering their groove after struggling beneath Scott Parker and Ronny Deila, profitable final season’s Belgian title and at the moment sitting second within the desk. The brand new man in cost, Nicky Hayen, was supervisor of Haverfordwest County in early 2022, however is now constructing a popularity as a younger coach to look at.
