Champions League: Aston Villa wins 3-2 in Bruges on their debut

Aston Villa made a successful start to the 2026-2027 Champions League by winning 3-2 on the pitch of Club Brugge on Tuesday, September 8, during the first matchday of the group stage.

The English quickly took the lead thanks to John McGinn in the 11th minute. Hugo Vetlesen equalized for both teams, but Emiliano Buendía restored Villa’s advantage before Nicolas Jackson made it 3-1 just before halftime.

Bruges revived the match in the second half. Nicolo Tresoldi reduced the gap with a penalty in the 61st minute, giving the visitors a final half-hour under pressure.

Aston Villa nevertheless maintained their lead until the final whistle. Pau Torres played an important role in the English side’s success by providing two assists, notably for the goals scored by McGinn and Jackson.

With these three points taken away, Aston Villa starts its European campaign ideally, while Club Brugge will need to respond in the next round.