Football
Club Brugge Vs Aston Villa Champions League Preview, Prediction, Team News And Predicted Lineups
Kieran Lynch is a sports writer specialising in football and Formula One. He is a sports journalism graduate of Leeds Trinity University and completed a Press Association NCTJ course in Newcastle. He previously worked as a news reporter for the Eastern Daily Press in Norfolk and spent five years as a sports writer at the MailOnline.
Get to know Kieran Lynch betterPublished04 Mar 2025
Ahead of the first-leg of the Champions League Round Of 16 clash, we have the Club Brugge vs Aston Villa preview, prediction, team news and predicted lineups.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa Preview
Club Brugge and Champions League last-16 tie.
Hans Venaken scored the only goal from the penalty spot when these two sides met at the Jan Breydel Stadium back in November.
Villa return to Belgium on Tuesday, hoping to take a lead back to Villa Park when the sides meet again next week.
impressive 5-2 aggregate victory over Atalanta in the playoffs.
This is only the second time that Brugge have managed to reach the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
Aston Villa – European Cup winners in 1982 – are looking to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1983 which was the last time they were in this competition.
The Villans have managed just one win in their last five when it comes to the Premier League. However, they beat Cardiff in the FA Cup to reach the quarter-finals of that competition where they will next play Championship side Preston.
Club Brugge are also in shaky form domestically having only won one match out of their last five. They sit second in their domestic table, nine points behind Gent.
The winner of this tie will face a sterner test against Liverpool or PSG in the quarter-finals.
Club Brugge Vs Aston Villa Team News
Aston Villa were boosted by the return of Emiliano Martinez against Cardiff and he should start in goal against Club Brugge.
This game might prove too soon for Boubacar Kamara who has returned to the squad. However, he should be ready for the second-leg.
Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio will likely continue in the starting XI though Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia were not included in Villa’s Champions League squad.
Tyrone Mings and Matty Cash are likely to miss out. This means Ezri Konsa or Axel Disasi could play at right-back with the other playing alongside Lamare Bogarde at centre-back.
For the hosts, midfielder Raphael Onyedika sat out Saturday’s league draw against Gent and is expected to be unavailable. Bjorn Meier will also miss the first-leg.
The #UCL knockouts are next 👀 pic.twitter.com/PLkP74XhkZ
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) March 2, 2025
Predicted Lineups
Club Brugge: Mignolet; Seys, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Jashari, Vetlesen; Talbi, Vanaken, Tzolis; Jutgla
Aston Villa: Martinez; Disasi, Konsa, Bogarde, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans; Rogers, Asensio, Rashford; Watkins
Club Brugge Vs Aston Villa Prediction
Aston Villa and Club Brugge have both been in shaky form when it comes to domestic football recently. This has the makings of a cagey first-leg with both sides looking for a rare trip to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Club Brugge are tough to beat at home but Unai Emery is a specialist in European competitions. The Spaniard would be happy to take his side back to Villa Park with the score level.
Prediction: Club Brugge 1-1 Aston Villa