Emery Hails “Big Step Forward” as Aston Villa Beat Club Brugge

Posted : 09 September 2026

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery believes his side made a major breakthrough after claiming their first victory of the season with a 3-2 win away to Club Brugge in their Champions League opener on Tuesday.

Villa had endured a difficult start to the campaign, failing to score in their first three Premier League matches while managing only one shot on target. Their fortunes changed in Belgium, however, as they produced an improved attacking display to finally get their season moving.

John McGinn opened the scoring in the early stages, registering Villa’s first goal of the campaign. Club Brugge responded through Hugo Vetlesen, but Emiliano Buendia restored the visitors’ advantage before Nicolas Jackson doubled Villa’s lead just before half-time.

The Belgian side refused to surrender after the break, with Nicolo Tresoldi converting a penalty to reduce the deficit. Brugge continued to threaten in the closing stages, with Tresoldi striking the post and seeing another effort saved by Zion Suzuki, but Villa managed to withstand the pressure.

Emery was pleased with the response from his players, particularly after the team’s confidence had been damaged by their poor league start.

“We took one step forward today and it was very, very important for our confidence and stability,” Emery said. “We had so many chances to get more of an advantage. The second half was a bit more equal.”

The Spanish coach acknowledged that the match became increasingly difficult after Brugge pulled a goal back. He said Villa nevertheless regained control late on and followed their plan to see out the result.

Emery also highlighted the difficulty of winning European matches away from home, praising the atmosphere created by the Club Brugge supporters and the resilience shown by his players during the final stages.

The victory comes after a dramatic summer for Villa. The club lifted the Europa League last season to end a three-decade wait for silverware, but several key members of that successful squad departed during the transfer window, leaving Emery with a significantly reshaped team.

Captain McGinn played a key role in the victory and reached another personal milestone by becoming Villa’s leading scorer in European competition with 12 goals. The midfielder was delighted to receive his first Champions League player-of-the-match award at the age of 31.

McGinn also described the result as an important test for Villa’s new-look squad, pointing to the Champions League debuts of Joao Gomes and George Hemmings. He praised his teammates for remaining disciplined despite Brugge’s sustained pressure and difficult conditions.

“It’s a new Villa and it was a big test for the new players to dig in,” McGinn said. “Club Brugge were pushing and pushing and pushing and we had to stand strong. We managed to do that.”

Emery Hails “Big Step Forward” as Aston Villa Beat Club Brugge

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