Aston Villa marched into the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday (March 12, 2025) with a straightforward 3-0 win over 10-man Club Brugge of their last-16 second leg, giving them a 6-1 combination victory and establishing a far harder activity subsequent towards Paris St Germain.
Marco Asensio, on mortgage to the English Midlands facet from PSG, was the star of the night time, bagging a fast double after approaching instead after the break.
“Very happy for the victory,” he stated. “We want more. Now we have a little break and to think about the upcoming objectives.”
Trailing 3-1 from the house leg, Brugge truly started the tie higher and gave Villa some early scares together with a glancing header from Hans Vanaken, to gee up their noisy travelling followers.
But the Belgians confronted an inconceivable problem as soon as Kyriani Sabbe was despatched off for flattening Marcus Rashford as he was bearing down on aim within the sixteenth minute.
Unai Emery’s staff took full benefit within the second half, Asensio swivelling and scoring from shut vary within the fiftieth minute after a go from fellow substitute Leon Bailey.
Ian Maatsen side-footed Villa’s second aim with the assistance of a deflection seven minutes later, earlier than Asensio swept house within the 61st minute from a cutback by the ever-marauding Rashford, to the enjoyment of a packed and bouncing Villa Park.
Asensio has now scored seven targets for Villa since arriving in early February.
Brugge coach Nicky Hayen stated his staff had carried out creditably of their three video games towards Villa within the competitors, taking into account additionally an earlier 1-0 win over Villa within the league stage.
“I don’t think we were dominated by them,” he stated. “They’re more efficient than us, the chances they get they score, the chances we get, we weren’t efficient enough.”
Arsenal to face Madrid
Arsenal arrange a Champions League quarterfinal towards holders Real Madrid with a 9-3 combination win over PSV Eindhoven after a 2-2 draw within the second leg of their last-16 conflict on Wednesday.
Progress was already a formality for the London membership after their beautiful 7-1 victory within the Netherlands final week and when Oleksandr Zinchenko blasted them forward within the fifth minute, PSV would have feared one other hammering.
Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal scores his staff’s first aim as Walter Benitez of PSV Eindhoven (obscured) fails to make a save in the course of the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and PSV at Arsenal Stadium on March 12, 2025
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
But Ivan Perisic replied for the guests with a chic end within the 18th minute to provide the hundreds of boisterous PSV followers one thing to cheer.
Declan Rice headed Arsenal again in entrance from Raheem Sterling’s pinpoint cross earlier than halftime however PSV earned a deserved reward for a vastly-improved show as Couhaib Driouech calmly chipped in a Seventieth-minute leveller.
With the result lengthy since determined, swathes of house supporters opted for an early getaway however PSV’s military of followers stayed till the top and nearly noticed their facet snatch victory as substitute Luuk de Jong headed narrowly vast in stoppage time.
Arsenal’s simple progress was not and not using a value because the spectacular Sterling, given a uncommon begin, was booked late on for a rash sort out and he’ll now miss the primary leg of subsequent month’s quarter-final at house to Real Madrid.
Zinchenko, one in every of seven adjustments to the Arsenal facet that drew with Manchester United on the weekend, had by no means scored a aim in European competitors however opened his account with a stunner, taking Sterling’s go and slicing in from the precise earlier than lashing a shot previous PSV keeper Walter Benitez.
That put Arsenal 8-1 forward on combination and Bayern Munich’s document Champions League knockout 12-1 combination win over Sporting within the 2008-09 season appeared to be in vary.
But Arsenal didn’t have the urge for food to chase information as they performed the sport largely in cruise management as they reached the quarter-finals for the second successive season having fallen to Bayern Munich final 12 months.
“We’ve done it consistently and now we want to make the next step, which is going to be really difficult. But we are very capable of that,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta instructed reporters earlier than understanding whether or not Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid have been ready for them.
“We are a club, a team that wants to be the best and wants to be competing with the best clubs in the world. And in order to do that, you have to constantly be there. And it’s very difficult. But we’ve done it for two years in a row. And we have the capacity and the ability to do it even better.”
Published – March 13, 2025 10:37 am IST
