Aston Villa’s Champions League Journey: A Night of Redemption
This season, Michael Hincks is on the ground following Aston Villa’s Champions League adventure. Stay updated by subscribing here.
JAN BREYDEL STADIUM — As Morgan Rogers stood in front of a vibrant blue billboard after the final whistle, clutching the Uefa Player of the Match award, Aston Villa’s true hero was playfully suggesting to his teammate. Tyron Mings, beaming with joy like the Villa supporters in Bruges, pointed towards Rogers, leaving spectators to wonder whether it was a lighthearted claim for the award instead.
Regardless of the jest, Mings was onto something significant. It was clear that he deserved the accolade more than anyone else on the pitch, having completed an impressive redemption arc during the match in Belgium on Tuesday night. Just four months earlier, Mings had made an uncharacteristic mistake against Club Bruges, but this time, he was the one who saved the day.
The turning point in this crucial Champions League last-16 tie came just before Brandon Mechele’s own goal and Marco Asensio’s penalty put Villa ahead. Mings executed a remarkable goal-line clearance, defying the laws of physics with his left leg as he somehow managed to steer Hans Vanaken’s header wide of the goal when it appeared destined to hit the back of the net. Even after countless replays, the physics-defying feat remained a mystery, but it undeniably became a moment for the ages, contributing to a vital away victory for Villa and placing them on the brink of a quarter-final clash against either Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain.
BEST GOAL-LINE CLEARANCE EVER??? 🤯 Tyrone Mings stops Hans Vanaken from giving Brugge the lead in SPECTACULAR style 🤯📸 Watch the Champions League LIVE on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 4, 2025
Under Unai Emery’s guidance, Villa had initially appeared stagnant, seemingly content to settle for a draw after Leon Bailey’s early goal was cancelled out by Maxim De Cuyper. However, it was Mings’ brilliant intervention with just 15 minutes left on the clock that set the stage for a dramatic finish.
While some may call it fortune, Mings’ clearance was an embodiment of skill and resilience, especially given his past blunder that had gifted Bruges a penalty in their previous encounter. “Sometimes we needed our keeper. Sometimes we needed Tyrone Mings’ save. We can remember the match before [here] with Tyrone, today he saved [us],” Emery reflected on Mings’ impact. “From the first experience he had here, today he reacted fantastically, playing focused and serious, saving with one action.”
If Villa manages to secure their advancement next week, they will need to tighten up their performance moving forward. Despite the favorable scoreline, the match revealed vulnerabilities as Bruges enjoyed possession and registered more shots than the visitors. Villa has struggled defensively throughout the season, with only the bottom three teams in the Premier League keeping fewer clean sheets than Villa’s four. This defensive inconsistency has translated into their European outings as well.
Although Villa had previously shut out teams like Young Boys, Bayern Munich, and Bologna in their initial Champions League matches, their recent performances have lacked the same defensive solidity. Constant changes in personnel have not aided their cause, with injuries and departures forcing Emery to alter his lineup frequently. The introduction of loan signing Axel Disasi saw yet another new back four take the pitch for Villa, marking the eighth different defensive combination in nine games.
After De Cuyper’s equalizer, Bruges appeared more threatening, often targeting Disasi at right-back, exploiting Villa’s defensive frailties. However, Bruges squandered their opportunities, while Villa’s three goals came despite an expected goals (xG) figure of just 1.38, highlighting their fortune on the night. “Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good, and Villa carried a little bit of luck tonight,” noted Pat Nevin wisely on BBC Radio 5 Live.
This is knockout football, and Villa fans are unlikely to dwell on the xG metric now that a trip to Paris or Liverpool looms large on the horizon. Instead, it was Mings’ golden moment that will be etched in the memories of supporters on the journey back to Birmingham, assuming the post-match celebrations didn’t cloud their recollections. Emery, however, will have to address the defensive issues moving forward. “The most important thing is to watch the match again,” he stated, emphasizing his commitment to video analysis. “I know there are still 90 minutes to play.”