Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Club Brugge
Match Time & Date:
04/03/2025
18:45
Prediction: 1-1
Aston Villa
Jan Breydel Stadion will be packed when Club Brugge and Aston Villa lock horns in the Champions League last 16, first leg. Club Brugge did well to eliminate Atalanta in the previous round, but they surely want to claim yet another major scalp in the elite competition. Talented defender Joaquin Seys is a major doubt after limping off with injury in a 1-1 draw with Gent, while both Bjorn Meijer and Raphael Onyedika remain in the recovery room.
The Villans, on the other hand, aim to build on the FA Cup win over Cardiff City. Unai Emery’s troops are a real force to be reckoned with at home, but given their ups and downs on the road, a close encounter is on the cards in Belgium. As both Aston Villa and Club Brugge will adopt a cautious approach in the first leg, there is a big value in betting on under 2.5 goals. All Ross Barkley, Amadou Onana, and Pau Torres miss out with injuries, while Tyrone Mings is rated doubtful for Tuesday’s clash.
Highlighted Player (Hans Vanaken):
Hans Vanaken is a Belgian footballer who was born in Neerpelt on August 24, 1992. Hans Vanaken is a product of PSV football academy, joining the club at the age of 10, but in 2008 he joined Lommel United. The Belgian midfielder continued wearing the green shirt at senior level, scoring 21 goals in 80 appearances for the club in the league.
In 2013 he moved to Lokeren and after spending two seasons at Daknamstadion, he signed a deal with famous Belgian team Club Brugge. Vanaken has established himself as one of the team’s key players and he is likely to play an important role in the Jan Breydel Stadium outfit in the 2019/2020 Europa League season.
His main position is attacking midfielder, but he is used as both central midfielder and left midfielder as well. He has a contract with Club Brugge until June 30, 2024.
Highlighted Team (Aston Villa):
Aston Villa is one of the three clubs that dropped to the Championship at the end of the 2015/2016 Premier League campaign. The Villans host their rivals at Villa Park, the stadium that was opened in 1897 and its’ capacity is 42,682. However, it has to be noted that the highest attendance recorded at the stadium was 76,588 when Aston Villa faced Derby County in the FA Cup back in 1946.
Aston Villa’s fiercest rivals are Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. Nonetheless, the rivalry between Aston Villa and Wolves and Coventry City is big as well. Aston Villa have won seven First Division (Premier League) trophies, with the team clinching seven FA Cup trophies as well.
The team’s biggest success, though, came in 1982 when they won the European Cup. The Villans defeated Bayern Munich (1-0) in the title game and Peter Withe was named the man of the match.
Borussia Dortmund
Lille
PSV
Arsenal 
Real Madrid 
Atletico Madrid 
Feyenoord
Inter
Bayern Munich 
Bayer Leverkusen 
Benfica 
Barcelona
