Club Brugge v Aston Villa preview: Team news, lineups, betting odds, prediction
Aston Villa are looking to recapture their early-season form on the continent when they face Club Brugge in the Champions League round of 16.
Villa bounced back from the 4-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Premier League by reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals on Friday; Marco Asensio’s double helping them to a 2-0 win over Cardiff City.
However, Villa’s first leg last-16 clash with Club Brugge poses an entirely different threat to Championship opposition, and after their previous meeting this term, Unai Emery will want to avoid further mistakes.
Tyrone Mings’ bizarre handball – picking the ball up whilst in the field of play – cost Villa at Jan Breydel Stadium in November, but after finishing eighth of the league phase, Villa will be keen to bounce back.
Club Brugge v Aston Villa preview
Aston Villa’s 1-0 loss at Club Brugge back in November was their first blip on the continent after three straight victories on their European return, but Emery’s side were able to re-establish their momentum.
Though they suffered another league phase loss at Monaco in January, a draw with Juventus and wins over RB Leipzig and Celtic proved enough to earn Villa a place in the top eight and passage to the last 16.
Domestically though, Villa’s form has been hit and miss between European meetings, with FA Cup wins over Tottenham and Cardiff failing to mask a run of one win in their last seven Premier League games.
Club Brugge, meanwhile, sit second in the Jupiler Pro League and have lost just once in all competitions since that 1-0 win over Villa, and impressively beat Atalanta over two legs to qualify for the last 16.
Atalanta finished just one place behind Villa in the Champions League top eight yet were still thumped 5-2 on aggregate by the Belgian side, who will provide a huge test for Emery’s side in Tuesday’s tie.
Club Brugge v Aston Villa team news
Villa head across the English Channel with several injuries to contend with, and are without six potential starters at the Jan Breydel Stadium, with three players definitely ruled out and another three doubtful.
Mings, Matty Cash and Donyell Malen are all facing a race against time to be fit as they nurse a knee injury, knock and illness respectively, with Ross Barkley, Amadou Onana and Pau Torres absent.
| Club Brugge | Statistics | Aston Villa |
| 1 | Goals | 0 |
| 1.38 | Expected Goals (xG) | 0.42 |
| 13 | Shots | 8 |
| 7 | Shots on Target | 1 |
| 44 per cent | Possession | 56 per cent |
Marco Asensio made the difference for the Villans against Cardiff last time out with a second-half brace to seal their passage to the FA Cup’s last eight, and he’s likely to be a focal point behind Ollie Watkins.
The hosts’ only injury worry on Tuesday is Raphael Onyedika, with the midfielder out until late March. Ferran Jutgla netted in Brugge’s draw with Gent on Saturday, and is set to lead the line once more.
Predicted lineups
Club Brugge: Mignolet, Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper, Vetlesen, Jashari, Talbi, Vanaken, Tzolis, Jutgla
Aston Villa: Martinez, Bogarde, Konsa, Disasi, Digne, McGinn, Tielemans, Bailey, Asensio, Rogers, Watkins
Betting Odds
Club Brugge: 2/1
Draw: 23/10
Aston Villa: 7/5
(Odds according to Bet365 as of 3 March)
Prediction: Club Brugge 2-2 Aston Villa
With this being the first of a two-legged tie – the second of which takes place under the lights at Villa Park eight days afterwards – Villa will be looking to come away from Belgium with the advantage.
That could well come even if Emery’s side aren’t ahead on the scoreboard, and if the first leg ends level in Brugge, Villa will certainly back themselves to press on and win the second on home soil.
The goals will surely flow given Villa’s defensive woes of late, but with their attack having been re-invigorated by the arrivals of Asensio and Marcus Rashford, expect the Lions to give as good as they get.