Club Brugge VS Aston Villa Predictions
Club Brugge and Aston Villa Lock Horns in Champions League Showdown
Jan Breydel Stadium braces for a tactical battle with quarter-final aspirations on the line. Club Brugge host Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg, with both sides aiming to gain an early advantage, the Belgian outfit seeks to replicate their 1-0 group-stage victory over Villa, while the Premier League side eyes a crucial away result to set up a decisive second leg at home.
Prediction
Both teams to win, Brugge to win any half, under 3.5 goals both halves and over 7.5 corners.
Data Analysis
Club Brugge: Three wins in their last six matches across competitions, conceding in five of those games.
Aston Villa: Three wins in their last six outings, also conceding in five of those matches.
xGA (Expected Goals Against): Both teams have defensive vulnerabilities, conceding 13 goals each in the Champions League group stage.
What’s at Stake
Club Brugge: A win would boost their chances of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time since 2022.
Aston Villa: A positive result is critical to avoid added pressure in the second leg, given their ambitions to progress in Europe.
Match Decider
Midfield control and set-piece efficiency. Villa’s 38% of Champions League goals from outside the box (5/13) could test Brugge’s defense, while the hosts’ counter attacking full-backs (Kyriani Sabbe and Maxim De Cuyper) may exploit Villa’s wide areas, with both teams prioritizing defensive stability, the match may hinge on individual moments of brilliance or errors. Villa’s European experience contrasts with Brugge’s home resilience, setting the stage for a strategic duel
Players to Watch Out For
Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins:
The striker’s movement and finishing could decide Villa’s attacking output.
Club Brugge
Hans Vanaken:
Midfield maestro crucial for linking play and disrupting Villa’s rhythm.
Players Out
Club Brugge:
Raphael Onyedika (recently recovered, match fitness uncertain).
Aston Villa:
Pau Torres (ankle), Ross Barkley (calf), Tyrone Mings (knee).
Probable Line Up
Club Brugge (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, Cuyper; Jashari, Vanaken; Olsen, Nielsen, Tzolis; Nilsson.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Garcia, Konsa, Disasi, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins.
Form
Club Brugge: WDLWLW (last six in all competitions).
Aston Villa: WLWLWW (last six in all competitions).
Head to Head
Club Brugge won 1-0 in November’s group-stage meeting.
This marks their first knockout-stage encounter.
Key Stats
Average possession: Aston Villa (58%), Club Brugge (47%).
Touches in opposition box per game: Villa (21.8), Brugge (18.4).
Defensive stats: Both teams average 1.8 tackles per UCL game in the final third.
Attack stats: Villa have scored 13 UCL goals (5 from outside the box), Brugge netted 9.
XGA & Defensive Metrics
Club Brugge: 1.4 xGA per UCL game, 12.3 shots faced per match.
Aston Villa: 1.6 xGA per UCL game, 10.8 shots faced per match.