For this UEFA Champions League Group Stage match, Aston Villa will travel to Belgium to lock horns with Club Brugge. While Villa would like to continue unbeaten and extend the unbeaten record in this season’s competition to perfection, Brugge wish for a jump in the standings and important points at home ground. Full Preview In this post, we’ll cover team news, recent form, key players, and give tips about the match. Match Information
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa: Match Preview
The Champions League sojourn under Unai Emery has been decent for Aston Villa. Sitting atop their group, Villa has recorded three wins, scoring six goals, having conceded none in the process. Villa’s victories over Young Boys, Bologna, and Bayern Munich have placed them in an encouraging position to qualify for the knockout stages. Meanwhile, this Villa Champions League form is also shaping up well into their domestic campaign as they seek to notch a top-four finish in the Premier League, sitting sixth after ten games.
On the other side comes Belgian outfit Club Brugge, which has had a mixed start. They sit lower in the group with one win and two losses, having secured their only points against Sturm Graz. While Brugge, on the other hand, are in good form domestically, second in the Belgian Pro League, having won seven of their 13 games. Their last couple of matches have been a testament to some excellent attacking play from them, while the defensive side of things stays a cause for concern with only one clean sheet in the last six matches.
Betting Tips: Prediction & Odds
Over 2.5 Goals: Given Aston Villa’s attacking power and Brugge’s leaky defense, over 2.5 goals can be a good choice. The over 2.5 goals will also be at a decent odd of 4/5 which makes it a good choice.
Correct Score Prediction – Club Brugge 1-2 Aston Villa: Given the strong form Villa have been in defensively within the Champions League, this should be a close win for Villa. A 2-1 Villa win is best-priced at 8/1.
Team News
Club Brugge
Manager Nicky Hayen will have the luxury of a complete fit squad to team selection as he prepares for this must-win Champions League encounter. The recently returned Andreas Skov Olsen will start. Skov Olsen and Hans Vanaken are the influential players, with Olsen top of Brugge’s scoring charts so far this season.
Aston Villa
Unai Emery’s men have also been almost injury-free as only Ross Barkley will be out of the lineup due to a slight injury. Jhon Duran has been one of the key players this season for Villa, netting two Champions League goals, and could feature in this game. Ollie Watkins has scored five goals this season and is expected to be up front for Villa.
Recent Form
Club Brugge
Club Brugge have won four of their last five matches. The only defeat was a 3-1 loss to AC Milan. Though they have performed well in the league, consistency in Europe is not going well for them. A recent win in the league of 1-0 against Oud-Heverlee Leuven showed they can battle to victories, although clean sheets have been difficult to achieve.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa has been in irregular form lately, winning two games, losing two, and drawing one in their last five matches. Recently, they faced a defeat against Tottenham in the Premier League by 4-1. Though the Champions League form is impeccable with three wins on the trot, the strength of Villa lies in the recovery and maintaining an organized defense, especially in European competitions.
Key Players to Watch
Jhon Duran – Aston Villa: The Colombian hitman has taken no time to settle at Villa Park, becoming an instant crowd favourite with a couple of Champions League goals this season already. He will be somewhat physically hard to contain as he has this knack for holding his own and stealing important goals that make him a threat to the Brugge defense.
Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Brugge): Having been Brugge’s top scorer this season, Olsen will be keen to dent Villa’s defensive record. The pace and creativity of Olsen will always be a problem for the Villa backline as he becomes the important man in Brugge’s attack.
Where to Watch
The match will be broadcast on TNT Sports 2.
Prediction
With Aston Villa’s form in the Champions League, the visitors have the slight edge to pip Club Brugge. While Brugge has been strong at home, Villa’s organized defense and superior attacking options should be enough for the narrow win.
Prediction: Club Brugge 1-2 Aston Villa
This Champions League match is very promising for many bets, especially over 2.5 goals and a correct score in favor of Aston Villa. It is because both teams desperately need the points and promise a very action-packed game full of goal-scoring actions.
