Ian Maatsen sends Aston Villa message after late Champions League drama
Aston Villa picked up a crucial victory in the Champions League on Tuesday (4 March) as they edged toward the quarter-finals.
Villa defeated Club Brugge 3-1 in a game that was packed with drama at the start and end of the match.
Leon Bailey got Villa off to an emphatic start by putting them ahead in the third minute, but Maxim De Cuyper responded in the 12th minute to level things up.
Fans had to be patient before the next goal, and that came via Brandon Mechele who accidentally put the ball into the back of his own net in the 82nd minute before Marco Asensio gave Villa a two-goal cushion with an 88th-minute penalty.
| Match Stats | Club Brugge | Aston Villa |
| Possession | 56% | 44% |
| Total Shots | 11 | 7 |
| Passes | 518 | 409 |
| Fouls | 8 | 10 |
The victory puts Unai Emery’s side in a comfortable position heading into the second leg in Belgium, but the closeness of the match proves that Villa still have work to do in a bid to reach the final eight.
Villa will be back in action against Brentford on Saturday (8 March) as they aim to get back on track in the Premier League to try and secure European football again for next season.
Ian Maatsen proudly watched his teammates from the sidelines
Ian Maatsen was left on the bench for this game, with Emery looking to the experience of Lucas Digne at left back instead of the former Chelsea defender.
The 22-year-old has only had limited opportunities in the Champions League this season as he’s only played two full games so far in the competition.
However, that didn’t stop Maatsen from celebrating the victory as he took to Instagram to show a picture of him celebrating from the bench with the caption, “Up the Villa!”
Aston Villa could miss out on Europe completely next season
Villa’s Champions League journey might have more importance than simply winning a trophy this season due to their Premier League form.
Emery’s side are currently 10th in the table, meaning there is a good chance they will fail to secure any European football next season unless they can turn things around during the run in.
Vila would gain European football next season if they were able to win the Champions League this season.
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