Club Brugge vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

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The Football Faithful

·6 November 2024

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Aston Villa visit Belgian champions Club Brugge on Wednesday night, as Unai Emery’s team look to preserve their perfect record in the Champions League this season.

Villa’s maiden Champions League campaign could not have gone better so far, with victories against Bologna and Young Boys coming alongside a famous win over Bayern Munich at Villa Park.

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Club Brugge will be looking to cause an upset in front of their fans and defeat an English side for the first time since 1995.

Matty Cash is a doubt for the European clash after the full-back came off at the weekend clutching his calf. He joins Ross Barkley on the Aston Villa injury list.

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Form

Club Brugge: WLWWW

Despite heavy defeats to AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund, Brugge do have a win to their name after conquering Austrian outfit Sturm Graz on matchday two. Former Norwich City winger Christos Tzolis scored the only goal to give the reigning Belgian champions a priceless win.

Brugge performed admirably in European competition last term as they reached the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League. Nicky Hayen’s team currently sit in second position in the Belgian Pro League, though trail league leaders Genk by seven points.

The 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 meeting ever. 💼 #CLUAVL #UCL
– Tuesday, 5 November 2024

They enter tonight’s match with the wind in their sails having tasted victory in each of their last three games, including a home win over Anderlecht.

Aston Villa: WWDLL

It has been a troubling fortnight for Villa who have gone three games without a win.

At the weekend they surrendered a half-time lead to a rampant Tottenham, as Unai Emery’s defence capitulated in the last 15 minutes to lose 4-1, their biggest defeat of the campaign.

Days earlier, a heavily rotated team was dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace at Villa Park. Prior to their exit from the cup, Villa let a hard-fought triumph slip out of their grasp as Bournemouth’s Evanilson netted an equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage-time.

Matchday in the #UCL 😤
– Wednesday, 6 November 2024

However, their Champions League form is immaculate and another three points tonight would leave them in a favourable position to qualify at the halfway mark.

Last Meeting: N/A

Tonight’s game will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides.

Predicted Lineups

Club Brugge: Mignolet, Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Jashari, Onyedika; Olsen, Vanaken, Tzolis, Vermant.

Aston Villa: Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Ramsey; Duran.

Who is the referee?

German referee Tobias Stieler will be the match official. He will be assisted by Christian Gittelmann and Mark Borsch while Matthias Jöllenbeck will be the fourth official. The VAR will be Benjamin Brand and he will be assisted by Bastian Dankert.