Villa's gritty win in Brugge fuels Emery's era for Champions League

John McGinn opened the scoring in the first half, his strike taking him to a club‑record twelve European goals and giving Aston Villa the momentum they needed, while Emi Buendia later added his first goal since the Europa League final in May, sealing a hard‑won victory in Brugge.

A nervy first win sparks Emery's side

The win marked Villa's first of the season, a nervy triumph that lit a spark for Unai Emery's side after a bleak Premier League opening. It may not have completely ignited the campaign yet, but the victory gave the visitors a much‑needed lift.

Villa could have settled for a draw or even triumphed more handsomely, but the match swung from comfortable to edgy before relief arrived. At half‑time the hosts were commanding, and McGinn’s opener made him the club’s all‑time record European scorer with twelve.

Emi Buendia’s strike and Nicolas Jackson’s first Villa goal – the latter benefitting from Yann Sommer’s rush of blood – saw the visitors cruising. George Hemmings, the first teenage starter for Villa in a Champions League match in 43 years, could have added at least one more.

Club Brugge made the second half uncomfortable, with Nicolo Tresoldi converting a penalty after Aaron Wan‑Bissaka’s blatant handball, only to hit the post later on.

Manager and players reflect on progress

"It's a new Villa and it was a big test for the new players to dig in," John McGinn told UEFA. "Club Brugge were pushing and pushing and we had to stand strong – it was so important to show a gritty performance and get a victory at a very, very tough place to play."

Unai Emery praised the step‑by‑step rebuild after a 0‑0 draw at Hull, saying, "The players have a responsibility too, the older players need to guide to keep our standard high. We are improving after Brighton and after Hull City. We must work hard – it is the only way."

Nicolas Jackson, who arrived on a record £65m move from Chelsea, celebrated his first Villa goal, adding, "We don't care about the past, we just focus on the next one. I'm very happy to be here and happy with the team, manager and staff. Hopefully, there are many more to come."

Image source, Getty Images, captioned the moment Buendia scored, underscoring the significance of his first goal since May. The three points in Belgium may not spark another relentless run, but they provide a foundation for Villa’s new era as they look ahead to home fixtures against Fenerbahce and Viking in October.