Yahoo Sports Club Brugge v Aston Villa Preview | Can Club be the first team to stop Unai Emery’s side in the Champions League?
Club Brugge welcome the leaders of the new look Champions League to Belgium on Wednesday. Aston Villa have won all three of their opening games in the clubs return to the pinnacle of European football, highlighting once again how Unai Emery is a top coach when it comes to continental competition. Club, on the other hand, have only won one of their opening three games.
However, the side should have taken more points. They played well in defeats to both Dortmund and AC Milan and could have easily come away with a point. They will hope that home advantage will give them a chance against the Premier League side. However, their performance against OH Leuven at the weekend is one that may concerns fans. A side with better finishing that their opponents could have easily grabbed a point or a win given the chances Club gave up. OH Leuven were wasteful as they lost 1-0, something that Club won’t be able to count on against Villa on Wednesday. Hans Vanaken will be key once again, as the veteran midfielder has scored four goals and grabbed four assists so far this season. They will be without defensive midfielder Raphael Onyedika after his red card against AC Milan last time out.
Villa have lost their last two games in the Premier League, with a 4-1 defeat away to Tottenham this past weekend. This may mean nothing, given that the side have already beaten Bayern Munich in the competition. If Club have hopes of progressing they must pick up points from their next two games, with a trip to Celtic following the home clash with Aston Villa. Their remaining games in the competition would then be Sporting and Juventus at home before a trip to Manchester to face Manchester City.
