Aston Villa advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in style on Wednesday night, with a 3-0 win over Club Brugge in the second leg of their last 16 tie.
Goals from Marco Asensio (2) and Ian Maatsen wrapped up an emphatic 6-1 aggregate triumph for Unai Emery's side, having won 3-1 in Bruges last week.
The Villans' already memorable Champions League campaign now continues in Paris next month, as they take on PSG for the first time in history, with a place in the semi-finals up for grabs.
Here are six talking points from another unforgettable European night under the lights at Villa Park...
Prepared.
Villa Park was again a sight to behold ahead of kick-off, as a special pre-match show lit up B6 before the players were welcomed to the field.
Specially-installed search lights accompanied a video compilation of our highlights in this season's competition thus far, as our home was transformed into an awe-inspiring stage showcasing history, pride and ambition.
Another breathtaking tifo banner adorned The Holte End, this time with captains to have lifted major trophies throughout the club's history dotted around a central, dominating Gas Lamp figure.
Villa Park was a sea of claret, blue and white as every supporter received a commemorative Champions League campaign scarf, making for an incredible picture as John McGinn led the Villans out for their latest European night under the lights.
The scene was set perfectly for what was to follow...
Returns for Bouba, Pau and Amadou
Wednesday was a special night for players returning from injury, and began an hour and 15 minutes from kick-off when Boubacar Kamara was named in the starting line-up, marking the first time he had been in from the beginnng in just under a month.
Amadou Onana was also named amongst Villa's substitutes ahead of kick-off, a welcome sight for the B6 faithful, who hadn't seen the Belgian involved since 45 minutes against Wolves on February 1.
Though the biggest return of the night came 24 minutes from time, when Tyrone Mings made way for Pau Torres, the Spaniard entering the field to a fantastic ovation for his first appearance of 2025, having been sidelined for two and a half months with a broken metatarsal.
Three Villans all back involved, as we marched on to the quarter-finals.
Unai's tactical masterstroke
Villa were frustrated throughout the first period as Club Brugge - despite being reduced to 10 players 16 minutes in - enjoyed the lion's share of possession.
But things changed at the break. Emery shuffled his pack, introducing both Leon Bailey and Marco Asensio, and the hosts never looked back.
Just five minutes after the restart, the two half-time changes combined as Bailey neatly flicked the ball through the Brugge defence, and Asensio did the rest, firing a half-volley past Simon Mignolet and high into the roof of the net.
Less than five minutes later, Villa and Asensio were in again, as Tielemans' ball found him in space over the top. The only shock this time, was that the net didn't bulge - the Spaniard's effort instead cannoning back off the post.
But the changes had made the difference, and the Villans were well on their way.
Ian's first goal in claret and blue
Just moments after Asensio had struck the post in Villa's electric start to the second period, they had two, as the Belgians couldn't keep the rampant hosts out for much longer.
Marcus Rashford fed Morgan Rogers inside the area, and he neatly pulled back for Ian Maatsen, who steered home his first goal for the club.
It capped off an impressive performance from the Dutchman, who reached the Champions League Final last season with Borussia Dortmund, and went on to be named in the competition's team of the season at left-back.
A memorable moment for the summer signing to double our advantage on the night and effectively seal the tie. But Emery's men weren't done there...
Marcus to Marco... AGAIN
Not content with just one goal, having been denied a second by the woodwork, Asensio went in search for more, and he would again be teed up by fellow January signing Rashford.
Villa came forward once more just after the hour mark, as Rashford played a neat one-two with Rogers and surged forward. His cut-back for the PSG loanee was inch perfect, and he had assisted Asensio for the fourth time since the pair arrived in B6.
Asensio became the first player to score two or more goals as a substitute for an English club in the UEFA Champions League since Mo Salah's hat-trick against Rangers in October 2022.
That's THREE two-goal hauls already in claret and blue for Asensio, and and incredible seven goals in eight games. Should we have expected any different from a man with three Champions League winner's medals?
Paris away, olé olé
And, after blowing away Club Brugge over two legs, Aston Villa were in the quarter-finals of Europe's elite competition, for the first time since their last European Cup campaign, in 1982/83.
A last eight tie with French champions Paris Saint-Germain awaits, where the two sides will meet for the first time in history. It will provide a poignant reunion for manager Unai Emery who faces the side he managed between 2016 and 2018, leading PSG to the Ligue 1 title in 2017/18.
Villa will make a first-ever trip to the Parc des Princes in the first leg, to be played on Wednesday, April 9, before welcoming the Parisians back to Villa Park for the second leg, on Tuesday, April 15.
It promises to be another memorable spectacle on this unforgettable European journey, which will continue into the penultimate month of our historic 2024/25 season.
Aston Villa are back among Europe's elite, and in style.
Up the EuroVilla! 💜
