Matchday 4 of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League sees Aston Villa travel to Belgium to face Club Brugge at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday. This clash marks the first-ever encounter between the two sides in European competition.
Aston Villa have made a stunning start to their Champions League campaign, winning all three of their previous matches while not conceding a single goal. Under the management of Unai Emery, the Villans secured an impressive victory over Bayern Munich in Matchday 2. However, the team comes into this fixture after suffering consecutive defeats in domestic competitions, first bowing out of the EFL Cup against Crystal Palace before a heavy 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
In contrast, Club Brugge have had a challenging start in their Champions League group, having faced tough opposition in Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan, suffering defeats to both. The Belgian champions did manage to secure a win against Sturm Graz, which keeps them ranked 26th in the UEFA standings. Nevertheless, they are on a six-game unbeaten run in their domestic league, recently beating OH Leuven 1-0.
According to The Hard Tackle, Nicky Hayen, the Club Brugge manager, will be without two first-team players for the match. Gustaf Nilsson is sidelined with an Achilles injury, while Raphael Onyedika is suspended after receiving a red card against AC Milan. Club Brugge is expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Simon Mignolet in goal and a defensive four comprising Joaquin Seys, Joel Ordonez, Brandon Mechele, and Maxim De Cuyper.
For Aston Villa, Unai Emery will also miss two key players: Ross Barkley, recovering from a muscle injury, and Matty Cash, who is dealing with a calf problem. Morgan Rogers is expected to be fit for the match. Villa will also deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Emiliano Martinez in goal and a backline featuring Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, and Ian Maatsen. The midfield will see Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans provide support, with Morgan Rogers taking the no. 10 role.
Despite recent setbacks in domestic play, there is optimism that Jhon Duran can regain his form from earlier in the season, with the Colombian forward being crucial to Aston Villa's attack in the Champions League.
The prediction for the match suggests a close contest, with Aston Villa's defence likely to continue its impressive form, potentially holding Club Brugge to another goalless performance while clinching a narrow 1-0 victory.