Unai Emery said Aston Villa took “one big step forward” after clinching their first win this season with a 3-2 victory at Club Brugge in their Champions League opener on Tuesday.
“When we were 2-0 ahead the confidence was very good, but Brugge scored and we could feel a little bit less confidence than we had in the first half. John McGinn put Villa ahead in the early stages with his team’s first goal this season. Hugo Vetlesen equalised soon afterwards, but Emiliano Buendia restored the visitors’ lead before Nicolas Jackson’s first goal for Villa increased their advantage on the stroke of half-time. “We had so many chances to get more of an advantage. The second half was a bit more equal. But we finished well, controlling the game like we planned. Emery admitted Villa had to sweat it out in the closing stages as Brugge pushed hard for an equaliser.
Villa captain McGinn hailed a gritty performance from a “new” Villa after the Scot became his club’s all-time leading scorer in European competitions with 12 goals.
