Moments of the league phase: An unforgettable victory over Bayern Munich

Aston Villa will compete in the Champions League round of 16 in March, after an impressive league phase campaign saw them finish eighth in the table with a record of five victories, one draw and just two defeats. 

From Youri Tielemans' goal in Bern against Young Boys opening up the European campaign, to a historic night under the lights at Villa Park against Bayern Munich and Morgan Rogers' sensational hat-trick against Celtic, the league phase was filled with incredible memories for Villans both near and far, as a tally of 16 points meant Unai Emery's side would skip the round of 32 play-offs on their way straight to the second knockout stage. 

And, with a double-legged last 16 tie getting underway in Bruges tomorrow evening, we are counting down the top five moments of the league phase - as voted for by you, the Aston Villa supporters - after we drew up an initial shortlist shortly after the conclusion of the league phase. 

At number one, what else could it have been? A truly memorable night under the lights at Villa Park, as we recorded a 1-0 win over German giants Bayern Munich. 

The date is Wednesday, October 2, and the mood and momentum in the Villa camp is high. Unai Emery's side - having qualified for the Champions League the previous season, for the first time since the tournament's rebrand - had started 2024/25 well. Just one defeat in the Premier League, and two points dropped in all competitions since late August meant they were on a six-game unbeaten run. 

Crucially, they had opened up their campaign in this competition with a bang, too, easing to a 3-0 win in Bern against BSC Young Boys on Matchday One in September. As the Villans prepared to welcome formidable German giants Bayern Munich to B6, hopes were high. There was a quiet feeling we might just be able to go toe-to-toe with the six-time winners. 

Indeed, the only other competitive meeting in history between these two sides was one to remember for the Villans, as well, as against all odds, they won the 1982 European Cup, triumphing in Rotterdam thanks to Peter Withe's second-half strike to lift the trophy for the first and only time. 

But what would go on to happen this time, would defy all expectation. 

Withe was in attendance with a host of his former team-mates who etched their names into Aston Villa folklore over 40 years ago, given a heroes' welcome to Villa Park on the night and meeting William, Prince of Wales in the new-look players' tunnel before kick-off. 

The sides entered the field with a breathtaking tifo banner adorning The Holte End, which read 'All our heroes are Villans', as the spine-tingling Champions League anthem boomed around our famous home. Champions League nights at Villa Park. 

The game began, and the visitors were flexing their muscles, applying pressure and putting Villa on the back foot. 

But Villa were here for a reason. They had earned their place in the Champions League, and deserved to be competing on this stage. Twenty-two minutes were on the clock when Jaden Philogene plucked a partially-cleared cross out of the air, allowing Pau Torres to poke home at The Holte End. Villa Park erupted, but the joy was short lived as VAR intervened and the goal was chalked off for an offside on Jacob Ramsey in the build-up. 

Serge Gnabry spurned a promising opening for the visitors, before Emi Martínez was at full-stretch with half-time approaching to deny Michael Olise's curling effort from distance. 

But Villa got to the break, and were more than holding their own. As time ticked away, tension inside Villa Park grew. The sides entered the final 15 minutes level at 0-0, and it became apparent that the first team to score would more than likely go on to win the game.

Then, with 11 minutes to play, the moment arrived. Pau played a ball straight through the middle of the field for substitute Jhon Durán to run onto. Being tightly marked by Dayot Upamecano, the Colombian didn't have many options. 

Spotting Manuel Neuer, the great Manuel Neuer, off his line, Durán lifted the ball over the German World Cup-winning goalkeeper and in, to send Villa Park into raptures. It was instinctive, it was brilliant, and it triggered pure euphoria in B6. Durán was mobbed by his team-mates and, just as they were in 1982, Aston Villa had taken the lead against Bayern Munich. 

But their job was not done. Bayern threw bodies forward in an attempt to salvage something from the game. If Durán was their hero at one end, then Martínez was their hero at the other. The World's Number One was alert to deny Gnabry's close-range effort at the board went up to signer four added minutes, but it was in the 96th minute when he was required to pull off an even more impressive save to deny Harry Kane's goalbound header. 

Seconds later, the final whistle sounded, and Villa Park could breathe. Emery's men had done it. It was one of the greatest night's this historic stadium had seen, one of the most famous evenings in the club's history. 

Celebrations were held on the pitch as Monchi and Damian Vidagany joined Unai Emery and his side on the field to toast the Villans' mammoth group effort. Villa had won each of their opening two games in the Champions League, having not conceded a single goal. They could get used to this.

History had repeated, and the curtain was drawn on a truly unforgettable European night under the lights.