Aston Villa 3 Club Brugge 0 (agg 6-1): Super sub Marco Asensio sets up mouthwatering PSG clash with brilliant double
LUIS ENRIQUE could be in for a few sleepless nights as the PSG boss faces up to his worst nightmare.
Aston Villa are heading to Paris for a Champions League showdown and Marco Asensio – the man he allowed to leave on loan – is in the form of his life!
Asensio cracks the first of his quickfire double[/caption]
Boss Unai Emery’s smile says it all after victory[/caption]
The 29-year-old Spaniard will head back to his old club next month with a point to prove.
And he warmed up with a deadly double here to put 10-man Club Brugge to the sword, like a Matador slaying a bull.
The three-times Champions League winner has been an absolute steal after joining in the January window.
Last night he took this game by the scruff of the neck and delivered his sixth and seventh goals to ease Villa’s nerves – six of which have come in front of an adoring Holte End.
Throw in the fact Unai Emery will also have a grudge to bear against the club who binned him after he delivered a domestic quadruple in 2018, and Enrique might discover beating Liverpool was the easy part!
Yet until Asensio came on, with Leon Bailey in a double substitution at half-time Villa looked listless.
In truth they did most of the heavy lifting when they won 3-1 in Bruges last week.
That left Emery and his side with one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals – his task here was to firmly plant his remaining foot there.
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But there were a few early stumbles along the way as Villa made a nervous start.
Brugge knew they had nothing to lose and dominated the first half.
Kyriani Sabbe fired a first-time shot over after Matty Cash gifted him the ball with a sloppy pass.
Then skipper Jan Vanaken flashed a flashing header inches wide after he burst in front of Tyrone Mings.
When Raphael Onyedika blasted in a shot which Ezri Konsa did well to head clear, the Villa fans started to grumble and Emery called for calm on the touchline.
But suddenly the pressure valve was eased as Brugge were reduced to 10-men.
Emi Martinez deserves credit for doing what none of his teammates could – pierce Brugge’s defence – with a raking 60-yard delivery which picked out Marcus Rashford on the run.
The winger sprinted off like a greyhound chasing a hare and although poor Sabbe did his best to halt him, he could only grapple with Rashford before sending him toppling with a clip of his heels.
German ref Daniel Siebert reached for his red card and suddenly Villa’s task looked a whole lot simpler with Brugge reduced to 10 men.
Youri Tielemans beat the wall from the resultant free kick but Simon Mignolet got down low to push the ball out.
Then Ollie Watkins spotted Mignolet off his line but his audacious attempt from 45 yards lacked the height to clear the keeper.
Ian Maatsen rejoices after doubling Villa’s lead on the night[/caption]
Maatsen helped put Villa in command as they cruised through[/caption]
And Villa ended the half looking more likely as Rashford slammed a shot into the side netting.
But it was Asensio’s arrival at half-time which made all the difference.
He finally broke Brugge with a move he started and finished, five minutes after his arrival.
His positive burst saw Morgan Rogers feed John McGinn who played in Bailey.
The Jamaican’s clever flicked pass was pounced on by Asensio who took the ball off the bounce and fired beyond Mignolet.
He almost added a second when he broke clear onto a Tielemans chip, only to hit the post with Mignolet beaten.
And Villa doubled their lead before the hour when Rashford’s sublime touch set up Rogers who cut back for Ian Maatsen to score with a deflection off Brandon Mechele.
But Asensio wasn’t finished and he made it 3-0 with his second four minutes later.
Rashford played a 1-2 with Rogers and cut back for Asensio to beat Mignolet with a simple finish.
Next stop – Paris in springtime.
I’ll bet Asensio and Emery can’t wait!
