Club Brugge vs Aston Villa LIVE: Champions League line-ups as Rashford starts but Asensio drops out

No team have scored more goals from outside the box than Aston Villa (5) in the Champions League this season.

Of sides to score 10+ goals in a campaign, their percentage scored from outside the box (38% – 5/13) is the highest in a single edition since Villarreal in 2008-09 (38% – 5/13).

Of tonight’s opponents the Villa boss added: “We know their capacity, their potential. We know how competitive they are.

“It’s a really good challenge for us to play against a team that beat us. It’s an exciting moment in our season.”

The Aston Villa coach said: “I am focusing on each match, each moment.

“A win is the consequence, it’s not the aim; it’s all about the process. It is always my focus.

“If you are thinking [too far ahead] you will lose the way, and you are not getting there.”

Aston Villa will be the fourth different team Unai Emery has managed in the knockout stages of the Champions League, following Valencia, Paris SG and Villarreal.

Only three managers have ever done so in charge of more than four: Carlo Ancelotti (6), José Mourinho (6) and Claudio Ranieri (5).

Club Brugge won both legs against Atalanta in the play-off round (2-1 at home, 3-1 away).

Only once previously have they won three consecutive games in the Champions League – in September/October 2022 under Carl Hoefkens (3).

This will be Club Brugge’s first knockout tie against English opposition in European competition since losing 6-1 on aggregate to Manchester United in the Europa League Last 32 in February 2020.

Across European competition, Club Brugge have won just one of their last 16 games against English opposition (D3 L12), conceding 42 goals during that time.

The Belgian side’s only victory in that time did come against Aston Villa, however, 1-0 in this season’s league phase.

Aston Villa have faced Belgian opposition five times before in European competition, winning just one of those encounters (D1 L3), a 1-0 victory vs Anderlecht in the European Cup in April 1982.

No place for Marco Asensio

Unai Emery makes four changes from Friday’s win over Cardiff in the FA Cup, the headline being Marco Asensio dropping to the bench despite his double in the 2-0 victory.

Asensio is replaced by Morgan Rogers, who starts in a front four of Leon Bailey, Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins.

With John McGinn and Youri Tielemans in midfield, there’s three changes to the defence with Axel Disasi, Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne coming in.

Club Brugge XI: Mignolet; Sabbe, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Onyedika, Jashari; Talbi, Vanaken, Tzolis; Jutgla

Subs: Jackers, Romero, Vetlesen, Vermant, Nilsson, Skoras, Nielsen, Siquet, Spileers, Campbell

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Konsa, Disasi, Mings, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins

Subs: Olsen, Zych, Cash, Torres, Asensio, Maatsen, Bogarde, Ramsey, Kamara