It’s crunch time in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, and the Aston Villa vs Club Brugge tie is one to keep an eye on. The Midlands club is up by two on aggregate, and they have the home ground advantage so they should close this one out. However, football is a funny game, so you just never know.
UEFA Champions League Round of 16, Leg 2 of 2
Aston Villa vs Club Brugge
Aggregate: Aston Villa leads 3-1
Kickoff: Wed. March 12, 8pm, Villa Park, Birmingham, UK
Result Probability via Google: Aston Villa 60% Extra Time 22% Club Brugge 18%
Aston Villa Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
The Belgian club are a formidable opponent, and have proven to be a tough out for anybody who faces them, so Villa manager Unai Emery needs to select his best first team possible for this match.
We believe that it will look something like this.
Aston Villa Starting XI Prediction vs Club Brugge
Emi Martinez; Axel Disasi, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne; John McGinn, Youri Tielemans; Leon Bailey, Morgan Rogers, Marcus Rashford; Ollie Watkins
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.