Unai Emery pulls off Axel Disasi masterstroke in Aston Villa win v Club Brugge
Unai Emery made a bold decision by starting Axel Disasi against Club Brugge but it is safe to say it paid off for Aston Villa.
The Villans returned to Champions League action on Tuesday (4 March) and secured a 3-1 aggregate win against the Belgian Pro League outfit.
An early strike from Leon Bailey was added to by Marco Asensio and a Brandon Mechele own goal which proved to be the difference between the sides in the round of 16 first leg clash.
This win was helped by a solid defensive performance which was aided by a tactical decision by Emery ahead of the clash at Jan Breydelstadion.
Emery proved right in Disasi decision v Club Brugge
When the team sheet was shared ahead of the clash in Belgium, supporters initially assumed that Ezri Konsa would be operating from right back.
That didn’t prove to be the case and instead, the towering Frenchman operated from full back and put in a positive performance before being replaced by Matty Cash.
This saw the Chelsea loanee feature for 64 minutes, in which time he was able to take 41 touches and complete 19 passes [FotMob] to help keep the Villans ticking.
Despite playing in a somewhat unfamiliar position, the 26-year-old was able to contribute with one dribble and four passes into the final third which can only be seen as a positive.
His defensive work rate was the best element to his game as he contributed with five defensive actions while also winning 100 per cent of aerial duels, utilising his main attributes.
Although this position may not be his favourite, Disasi put in a positive showing which also helped to get the best out of Konsa.
| Stat v Club Brugge | Axel Disasi | Ezri Konsa |
| Touches | 50 | 41 |
| Completed passes | 41 | 19 |
| Defensive actions | 4 | 5 |
| Duels won | 2 | 6 |
| Recoveries | 4 | 4 |
The England international chipped in with four defensive actions and two duels won while also completing 95 per cent of his attempted passes.
With that being said, it is further proof that Emery made the correct decision in his tactical approach ahead of an all-important clash.
Emery proves Aston Villa worth v Club Brugge
Questions have been asked of the Spanish head coach in recent weeks, with his side’s performance against Crystal Palace being particularly damming.
The change in tactical approach for that game and the loss of Emi Martinez at Selhurst Park contributed to a heavy defeat which left supporters fuming.
Despite getting it wrong against the Eagles, Emery proved with his side’s performance against Brugge how important his nous for knockout football is.
Although the performance might not have been great, it is all about the result and thanks to Asensio’s penalty, the Villans take a positive aggregate lead back to Villa Park with them.