Nicolas Jackson opens his account as Aston Villa survive late scare in Champions League thriller against Club Brugge

Villa made the perfect start to their 2026-27 Champions League league phase campaign on matchday one. Unai Emery’s side travelled to the Jan Breydel Stadium and secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Belgian outfit Club Brugge.

The Villans started the match with incredible attacking intent and were quickly rewarded. John McGinn found the back of the net in the 11th minute to give the visitors an early advantage.

However, the home side responded immediately in front of their vocal supporters. Just eight minutes later, Hugo Vetlesen converted a pass from Jan Virgili to level the score at 1-1.

Despite the rapid setback, Villa quickly regained their composure to restore their lead. In the 22nd minute, Emiliano Buendia got his name on the scoresheet by expertly finishing off a pass from Joao Gomes. The visitors then extended their advantage just two minutes before the half-time whistle. Summer recruit Nicolas Jackson grabbed the spotlight. The striker netted his first official goal for his new club in the 43rd minute, sending the visitors into the dressing room with a commanding 3-1 lead.

Armed with a two-goal cushion, Villa faced a determined Brugge side following the restart. The hosts pushed hard to get back into the contest and found a vital lifeline in the 59th minute following a pivotal moment inside the penalty area.

Joaquin Seys collected a header from Nicolo Tresoldi and attempted to fire a cross into the box, which struck the arm of Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The referee awarded a penalty under the current Champions League handball regulations, throwing the home side a massive lifeline. Tresoldi took responsibility from the spot and made no mistake. The forward confidently sent Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki the wrong way to set up a tense finale in Belgium.

Despite a wave of late pressure from the Belgian side, Emery's men showcased impressive defensive resilience. Villa successfully navigated the closing stages without conceding further, protecting their narrow lead until the final whistle to head back to England with a win.

The Villans must now quickly shift their focus back to domestic matters, as they prepare to face Nottingham Forest in their next Premier League fixture.

Conversely, Brugge will be desperate to return to winning ways domestically. They will look to bounce back from this frustrating European defeat when they take on Antwerp in the Belgian Pro League.