◤UEFA Champions League◢ Marco Asensio scores twice to help Aston Villa thumped Club Brugge 3-0 and progress to the quarter-finals..

Aston Villa beat 10-men Club Brugge 3-0 (aggregate score: 6-1) in the second leg of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Round of 16s at Villa Park on Wednesday and advanced to the quarter-finals.

In the first half, Sabbe was sent off for maliciously bringing down Rashford, which laid a fatal foreshadowing for the direction of the outcome of the game. In the second half, Asensio volleyed and scored, and then Maatsen and Asensio both pushed the ball into the net from close range. In the end, Aston Villa easily defeated Club Brugge 3-0 (aggregate score: 6-1) and advanced to the quarter-finals. The Villans will face Paris Saint-Germain, who just ended Liverpool's unbeaten record, in the next round.

First Half

In the 16th minute, Emiliano Martínez made a long pass from his own penalty area. After successfully beating the offside trap and quickly following up, Marcus Rashford got the ball and took a few steps, before being maliciously brought down by Kyriani Sebbe who was chasing him back closely outside the penalty area. Since this was an attack with a significant goalscoring opportunity, the referee directly issued a red card to send the latter off, Club Brugges was forced to finish the game with 10-men!

Youri Tielemans then took a free kick for Villa and shot directly with his right foot from outside the penalty area, but his attempt was saved by Simon Mignolet.

At the end of the first half, Aston Villa and Club Brugge temporarily drew 0-0 and entered the half time break.

Second Half

Both teams switched sides when the match continued. In the 49th minute, Rashford passes horizontally from the left wing. Tyrone Mings stopped the ball and took a few steps before volleying with his left foot from the left side of the box, but his shot was saved by Mignolet.

Soon after, Leon Bailey made a straight pass from the right side of the box. Marco Asensio quickly followed up and upon receiving the pass, pushed the ball into the upper right corner of the net with his right foot from the center of the box. Aston Villa broke the deadlock first to take a 1-0 lead ! This is the sixth goal that Asensio has scored for the Villans in all competitions since joining in the January winter transfer window!

In the 57th minute, Morgan Rogers invertedly cuts back a pass from the edge of the byline on the left side of the box. Ian Maatson quickly followed up and upon receiving the pass, pushed the ball into the bottom left corner of the net with his left foot at a very close distance in the box. Aston Villa quickly expanded its lead to 2-0!

4 minutes later, Rashford passes horizontally from the left side of the box. Asensio quickly followed up and upon receiving the pass, pushed the ball into the bottom left corner of the net with his left foot at a very close distance in the box to double his goal tally in the match. Aston Villa secured the victory at 3-0! This is the fourth time that Marcus Rashford has provided assists for the former Real Madrid star in recent weeks!

In the 77th minute, Maatsen passes horizontally from the front. Tielemans got the ball and adjusted his angle before taking a long shot with his right foot from outside the penalty area, but his shot was saved by Mignolet.

When the final whistle is blown, Aston Villa defeated Club Brugge by 3-0 (aggregate score: 6-1).