Raphael Onyedika and his Club Brugge teammates arrived at Villa Park with hopes of pulling off a miracle comeback, needing to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit to stay alive in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
But their dreams took a brutal hit early on when Kyriani Sabbe received a red card in the 19th minute, forcing Brugge to battle with 10 men for over 70 minutes.
Despite the disadvantage, the Belgian side fought valiantly. Captain Hans Vanaken, making his 50th UCL appearance, came close to an opener, but his header sailed just wide. Chemsdine Talbi also forced a strong save from Emiliano Martínez, keeping Villa’s lead intact.
Aston Villa absorbed the pressure and waited for their moment. That moment arrived when Unai Emery introduced Marco Asensio and Leon Bailey at halftime—a tactical switch that changed everything.
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Just five minutes after coming on, Asensio latched onto Bailey’s precise pass and fired home his sixth goal in five games. With that, Villa smelled blood.
Onyedika crashed out of the UCL at the Vila park.
Fifteen minutes later, Ian Maatsen doubled the lead after a sharp cutback from Morgan Rogers. Any lingering Brugge hopes were crushed when Asensio grabbed his second of the night, tapping in Marcus Rashford’s cross to seal a dominant 3-0 victory (6-1 on aggregate).
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Despite the disappointment, Brugge can take pride in their journey, showing moments of brilliance along the way. But as Aston Villa books a mouthwatering clash against PSG, Onyedika and his teammates will be left wondering what could have been.
