Club Brugge vs Aston Villa: Results, Stats & Head-to-Head

Aston Villa dominated Club Brugge across three Champions League ties in 2024/25, winning twice and losing once to claim a 6-1 aggregate victory in the Round of 16. The decisive first-leg win at Jan Breydelstadion set up Villa’s passage to the quarterfinals, with the second leg at Villa Park confirming their superiority.

First leg result: Club Brugge 1-3 Aston Villa ·
Aggregate score: 6-1 ·
Competition: UEFA Champions League last 16 ·
Second leg date: 12 Mar 2025 ·
Venue: Villa Park

The table below consolidates key match facts from all three Champions League encounters between Club Brugge and Aston Villa in the 2024/25 season.

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa prediction

Heading into the Round of 16 tie, Aston Villa held the stronger hand. Their away win in the first leg on 4 March 2025 — a 3-1 result courtesy of an own goal and a late Marco Asensio penalty — effectively ended the contest before the second leg at Villa Park (ESPN). The aggregate score of 6-1 across both legs reflects Villa’s dominance rather than any close contest.

Recent form analysis

Club Brugge had previously beaten Aston Villa 1-0 at Jan Breydelstadion on 6 November 2024, but that result came during the league phase when Villa were still finding their rhythm in European competition (UEFA). By the time the knockout stage arrived, Villa had tightened defensively. Sky Sports recorded just one shot on target from Brugge across the entire first leg, despite the hosts controlling 43.9% of possession (Sky Sports). The goalkeeper save count told the story: Simon Mignolet made six stops for Villa compared to one for Club Brugge’s shot-stopper.

Key player matchups

Leon Bailey proved the most decisive individual in the tie. His goal in the 3rd minute of the first leg gave Villa an immediate advantage they never relinquished (ESPN). Maxim De Cuyper briefly equalised for Brugge in the 12th minute, but the balance of play shifted decisively after that. The own goal by Brandon Mechele in the 82nd minute compounded Brugge’s difficulties, while Asensio’s penalty sealed a commanding result.

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa results

Three matches, three different stories. The aggregate result of 6-1 in Villa’s favour masks a more nuanced sequence of individual results that made for compelling viewing across the 2024/25 Champions League season.

First leg summary

The first leg at Jan Breydelstadion on 4 March 2025 produced the most dramatic scoreline of the three meetings. Club Brugge took an early lead through Maxim De Cuyper in the 12th minute, a strike that briefly suggested Brugge could upset the form guide. Aston Villa responded immediately, with Bailey restoring parity inside three minutes (ESPN). The match remained tight until the closing stages, when an own goal and a penalty turned a 1-1 draw into a comfortable 3-1 away win for Villa.

Aggregate outcome

UEFA’s official records confirm the aggregate score of 6-1 across the Round of 16 tie (UEFA). This represents Villa’s largest aggregate margin of victory in any Champions League knockout tie in recent memory. Club Brugge’s sole win — the 1-0 victory on 6 November 2024 — counted for nothing once the knockout stages began. 11v11’s match records confirm Villa won two of the three total encounters with no draws (11v11).

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa lineups

Neither club released confirmed starting XIs well in advance, as is standard practice for Champions League knockout matches. However, available reports from major sports outlets provide a reliable picture of who took the pitch in each encounter.

Predicted teams

Club Brugge’s typical setup at Jan Breydelstadion involved a compact 4-3-3 formation, with De Cuyper operating as an attacking outlet on the left flank. His early goal against Villa demonstrated his threat in the final third. Aston Villa lined up in a 4-2-3-1, with Bailey and Asensio providing pace and creativity behind the main striker. Sofascore’s match coverage offers detailed lineup graphics that confirm these tactical approaches (Sky Sports).

Injuries and suspensions

Neither club listed significant injury concerns that would have altered their tactical approach for the first leg. Club Brugge’s elimination of Atalanta before facing Villa (CBS Sports Golazo) suggested a fully fit squad, while Villa’s direct advancement to the league phase meant they had managed player workloads carefully throughout the season.

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa stats

The statistical picture from these three matches reveals a telling contrast between the sides. Club Brugge dominated certain possession metrics but failed to convert that control into goals, while Aston Villa operated with ruthless efficiency in front of goal.

Head-to-head records

Three Champions League meetings in 2024/25, zero draws — Aston Villa have won twice and Club Brugge once (11v11). The clubs had never met in European competition before this season, according to aggregated records (AiScore). Total goals across the three matches: Aston Villa 6, Club Brugge 2 (FootyStats).

Performance metrics

Sky Sports’ detailed first-leg statistics show Club Brugge created more shooting opportunities — 13 total attempts with 7 on target — but managed only one goal. Aston Villa, by contrast, produced just 8 total shots with just 1 on target, yet scored three times (Sky Sports). The goalkeeper save disparity (6 for Villa, 1 for Brugge) highlights the contrast in finishing quality. Interceptions told a similar story: Club Brugge recorded 9 interceptions compared to Villa’s 3, yet the visitors defended set pieces and transitions more effectively when it mattered most.

The comparison table below illustrates how the two clubs measured up across key performance indicators in the first leg at Jan Breydelstadion.

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa highlights

For viewers wanting to revisit the key moments, UEFA provides official highlights for all three Champions League encounters between these clubs (UEFA). The contrast between the league-phase match and the knockout ties makes for instructive viewing.

Key moments from first leg

The 3rd-minute goal by Leon Bailey set the tone immediately. His strike from the edge of the area caught Club Brugge’s defence unorganised, a lapse that proved costly against a side with Villa’s counterattacking quality. De Cuyper’s equaliser in the 12th minute briefly shifted momentum, but the own goal and penalty in the final ten minutes removed any remaining doubt about the result. Sky Sports’ match commentary highlighted how the closing stages became a test of Villa’s game management rather than their attacking ambition.

Goal scorers

Confirmed scorers from the first leg: Leon Bailey (3rd minute), Maxim De Cuyper (12th minute), plus an own goal and penalty that went to Asensio (ESPN). The second leg at Villa Park on 12 March 2025 ended 3-0 to Villa (11v11), with Marco Asensio scoring early in the second half. FootyStats records confirm Villa’s aggregate dominance across the tie, though specific goal-by-goal details for the second leg remain less thoroughly documented across tier-1 sources.

For English fans following Villa’s European journey, the Brugge tie served as a proving ground. A 6-1 aggregate win against a side that had already knocked Atalanta out of the competition demonstrates the level Unai Emery’s side has reached in continental football. Club Brugge, meanwhile, exit the competition having shown sparks of quality — their 1-0 league-phase win proves they can compete — but lacking the consistency required across two legs against a Champions League veteran side. Villa’s reward is a quarterfinal berth against whoever survives the remaining bracket, while Club Brugge must regroup for their domestic campaign knowing they fell short when it mattered most in Europe.

Related reading: Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund Lineups: Confirmed & Predicted · Levante UD vs FC Barcelona Lineups – Predicted XIs, Injuries, Team News

Aston Villa sealed the 6-1 aggregate triumph with a commanding display at Villa Park in the return leg, featuring return leg highlights and stats amid the Champions League drama.