Three Premier League Games Without a Goal! Villa Score Three Away in Champions League Opener to Silence Doubts

In the early hours of September 9 Beijing time, the first round of the 2026/27 Champions League league phase kicked off in full. Aston Villa visited Jan Breydel Stadium in Belgium and narrowly defeated Club Brugge 3-2 with goals from McGinn, Buendia and Jackson (J. Jackson). More surprisingly, Villa, who had gone winless in three Premier League matches without scoring a single goal, scored three times in a Champions League away match.

Just 11 minutes after kickoff, Pau Torres advanced and played the ball wide. Near the right-side K angle area, McGinn took a first-time left-foot curling shot toward the far corner, sending the ball into the net with a beautiful arc. It was Villa's first goal in all competitions this season.

But Club Brugge responded quickly. In the 19th minute, Biljheel broke past Wan-Bissaka and crossed, with Vetlesen equalizing with a close-range effort. Villa did not panic — just three minutes later, Joao Gomes cut into the box, beat the defense and crossed, allowing Buendia to finish from close range for a 2-1 lead.

During first-half stoppage time (the 43rd minute), a dramatic moment occurred: Club Brugge goalkeeper Sommer rushed out but failed to reach the ball, and Jackson calmly slotted into an empty net. At 3-1, Villa had secured a strong advantage at halftime.

After the restart, Club Brugge launched a strong comeback. In the 59th minute, Wan-Bissaka handled the ball inside the penalty area, and after reviewing VAR, the referee awarded a penalty. Tresoldi converted to make it 2-3.

The home side's pressure continued to increase. In the 69th minute, Tresoldi headed a shot at the near post, which was touched by Suzuki Ayane before hitting the post and bouncing away. The woodwork saved Villa. Villa eventually held on for the win and took all three points.

The match statistics showed a sharp contrast: Villa had only 36% possession, while Club Brugge had 64%, with 73 dangerous attacks compared with 21. However, Villa were the team ahead on the scoreboard.

Before the match, Villa had recorded one draw and two defeats in the Premier League and had failed to score. Why did they look like a completely different team in their Champions League opener?

First, Emery's European pedigree. The Spanish coach previously led Sevilla to three consecutive Europa League titles and guided Villa to win the Europa League last season. His understanding of European competitions is far beyond that of ordinary coaches.

Second, the new signings have finally found their rhythm. Villa underwent major squad changes this summer — more than half of the starters from last season's Europa League final departed, with key players including Martinez, Watkins, Tielemans and Konsa leaving. The club spent heavily to bring in record signing Jackson (up to £65 million), Suzuki Ayane, Joao Gomes and other new arrivals. Among the three goalscorers in this match, Jackson and Buendia were representatives of the new signings.

After the match, Jackson said: "I am very happy to score my first goal for Villa. I am gradually finding my feeling again and hope to score more goals in the future."

Third, captain McGinn's historic moment. After scoring in this match, McGinn became Villa's all-time leading scorer in European competitions. After the game, he said: "Tom just told me about this record. But more importantly, we scored our first goal of the season and got three points away from home in the Champions League."

After the match, Emery could not hide his excitement: "When we couldn't win before, everyone was under pressure. Today I am really, really happy."

Speaking about the rebuild, Emery said: "The level of squad change this year is greater than in previous years. We must integrate the new players into the tactical system and help them understand our football philosophy." "We know the path the team is currently taking, and today we took an important step."

After the match, fans joked: "Timid in the Premier League, powerful in the Champions League" and "Three games without a goal to three goals in one match — who can handle this contrast?"

Regardless, securing three points is what matters most. With a Champions League victory, Villa have announced that the rebuilding side has rediscovered its winning rhythm on the European stage.

Next, Villa will return to the Premier League. Can this Champions League victory become a turning point in their season? Share your thoughts in the comments!