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Showing posts with the label Aston Villa

UCL: Historic night at Villa Park

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Aston Villa 1 - 0 Bayern Munich In an electrifying evening at Villa Park, Jhon Duran once again made a stunning impact off the bench, securing a glorious Champions League victory for Aston Villa over Bayern Munich. The occasion was steeped in history, evoking memories of Villa’s famous 1982 European Cup triumph against the German side in Rotterdam. This time, Duran replicated that iconic scoreline, netting his fifth goal as a substitute this season. Brought on in the 70th minute to replace Ollie Watkins, it took Duran just nine minutes to make his presence felt. Spotting Bayern’s experienced keeper, Manuel Neuer, out of position, he calmly lobbed the ball into the net. A closer look at a sensational night in the Midlands For Villa manager Unai Emery, this was another resounding success. The result builds on Villa's strong start to their Champions League   campaign having beaten Young Boys 3-0 in Switzerland in their opening match. Villa Park, hosting its first Champions League

WSL: Chelsea start new era with a win

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Chelsea Women 1 - 0 Aston Villa Women There was collective sigh of relief echoed around Kingsmeadow as Chelsea secured their first win of the post-Emma Hayes era. Sonia Bompastor, the woman tasked with following in the footsteps of one of football's greatest managers, was warmly welcomed on a balmy evening under the lights on the outskirts of London. Stepping into the shoes of a legend – and there’s no doubt that 14-time major trophy winner Hayes is exactly that – can be an intimidating prospect. Just ask David Moyes or Arne Slot, following last weekend’s defeat at Anfield. Aston Villa arrived determined to earn their first points in this fixture, having lost all eight of their previous encounters with Chelsea. The visitors quietly impressed during the first half. Early signs suggested they might be overwhelmed by the occasion, but they successfully navigated a nervy start – including a significant miss by Chelsea's Guro Reiten – and began to settle into the game. How the 2

Premier League: Everton squander another lead

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Aston Villa 3 - 2 Everton Jhon Duran’s stunning long-range strike secured a dramatic Premier League comeback win for Aston Villa, as Everton collapsed from a 2-0 lead for the second game in a row. Everton were left reeling, having already thrown away a two-goal advantage in their previous match against Bournemouth, and Saturday brought a painful sense of déjà vu as they squandered another lead, leaving them still without a point this season. A closer look at what happened Villa started strongly, with Ollie Watkins’ header cleared off the line, but it was Everton who struck first. Dwight McNeil dispossessed former teammate Amadou Onana – much to the delight of the travelling fans – before surging forward and firing a precise shot into the bottom corner. Despite their struggles and lack of confidence, Sean Dyche’s side extended their lead in the 27th minute when Dominic Calvert-Lewin rose highest to powerfully head home. However, Villa quickly responded. Ex-Everton full-back Luca

Premier League: Villa and Newcastle both win opening day fixtures

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Aston Villa and Newcastle both won their opening-day fixtures. Let's explore what happened West Ham United 1 - 2 Aston Villa Substitute Jhon Duran clinched a late victory for Aston Villa as they kicked off their Premier League season with a win at West Ham. Duran seized onto Jacob Ramsey's pass and coolly tucked the ball into the bottom corner with just 11 minutes left, shortly after rumours circulated that the Hammers had made two unsuccessful bids for the striker. Amadou Onana marked his Villa debut in style, heading home Youri Tielemans' corner after just four minutes when the Belgian midfielder was left unmarked in the box. West Ham levelled the score before half-time when Matty Cash was deemed to have fouled Tomas Soucek during a tussle in the box. Lucas Paqueta converted the penalty, sending Emiliano Martinez the wrong way with a stuttered run-up as he slotted the ball into the bottom left corner. However, Duran ultimately had the final word, ensuring Villa's

Transfer News: Villa sign Onana

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Aston Villa have secured the signing of midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton in a £50m deal. The 22-year-old played every minute of Belgium's Euro 2024 campaign and now has the chance to showcase his talent for Villa in the upcoming Champions League season. Onana joined Everton from Lille for £33m in 2022 and made 72 appearances for the Toffees, netting four goals. He was linked with a move to Arsenal in 2023, and several top clubs were reportedly interested in him this summer. You can see how they announced the transfer in the video below. The footage is from the Aston Villa YouTube account.  Villa manager Unai Emery had been searching for a new defensive midfielder after the club sold Douglas Luiz to Juventus for £42.35m in June. After finishing fourth in the Premier League last season, Villa are bolstering their squad for the challenges of the Champions League in the coming campaign. They have not competed at this elite level since the 1982-83 season, this was right after w

Pre Season: Villa ease to win over Walsall

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Walsall 0 - 3 Aston Villa Two first-half goals from Morgan Rogers helped Aston Villa open their pre-season schedule with a 3-0 victory at Walsall. Rogers scored in the 21st minute after receiving a quick free-kick from summer signing Ross Barkley and calmly finishing. He then doubled his tally with a tidy finish on the turn from a corner shortly after the half-hour mark. This put Villa in control against the Saddlers. The Villa boss Unai Emery changed the entire team at the interval . New arrivals Kosta Nedeljković, Samuel Iling Jr and Enzo Barrenechea were all introduced. A host of youngsters featured throughout at the Poundland Bescot Stadium. It took Villa time to get going again in the second half on the front foot and Walsall created several half-chances. Villa eventually started to pose a threat at the other end. It was one of those youngsters in Louie Barry who converted a third for the visitors from close range in the 90th minute from Iling Jr’s low cross. Aston Villa c

Transfer News: Villa sign Ross Barkley

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Villa are strengthening their squad ahead of a campaign where they will compete in the Premier League and Champions League They have signed midfielder Ross Barkley from Luton Town on a permanent deal. The 30-year-old made 32 Premier League appearances for Luton, who were relegated from the top flight in 2023-24. This is Barkley's second spell at Villa Park. He spent the 2020-21 season on loan there from Chelsea. The former Everton midfielder also made 33 appearances for England between 2013 and 2019 and was regarded as one of England's most promising talents, featuring in the Three Lions side at the 2014 World Cup. Barkley made 150 appearances for Everton over eight years  He joined Chelsea in a £15m move in 2018 but left by mutual consent at the start of the 2022-23 season after 100 appearances for the club. Also read Premier League: Summer 2024 news and stories  The latest from Aston Villa  A spell at Luton helped Barkley find his feet in the top flight once again after j

Premier League: Villa edge closer to Champions League qualification

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 Aston Villa 3 - 3 Liverpool Aston Villa pulled off a thrilling late comeback against Liverpool at Villa Park to secure a crucial point in the battle for fourth place in the Premier League. Villa had the chance to seal a Champions League spot with a win, setting the stage for an electric atmosphere ahead of kickoff, highlighted by a special address to the fans from Hollywood icon and avid supporter Tom Hanks. However, Unai Emery's squad found themselves trailing 3-1 with just five minutes remaining, seemingly leaving the door ajar for Tottenham, but two goals from substitute Jhon Duran turned the tide, securing an improbable draw. The early festivities took a hit within minutes when goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's unfortunate blunder saw him deflect Harvey Elliott's cross into his own net, leaving the Holte End in disbelief. Villa then rallied as Youri Tielemans slammed home an equaliser after 12 minutes, only for Liverpool to regain the lead through Cody Gakpo, exploit

Premier League: Brighton return to winning ways

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Brighton and Hove Albion 1 - 0 Aston Villa The impact of this Villa defeat was ultimately lessened after Spurs lost 4 - 2 away at Liverpool  Joao Pedro scored a late goal as Brighton put a small dent in Aston Villa's Champions League hopes at the Amex Stadium. The winner arrived when Pedro scored a rebound in the 87th minute after his penalty was saved by Robin Olsen. Earlier in the match, Pascal Gross had an effort for the hosts ruled out for offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) . At the other end of the pitch, Villa captain John McGinn was also judged to be inches ahead of the Brighton defence before scoring in vain. Brighton's beat Aston Villa in a home game for the first time in the Premier League since its inception and for the first time at home across all competitions since December 1980. For Brighton fans, this win was a huge relief. Even then, they will have a few concerns. A lack of goals is not a characteristic often associated with Brighton managed by De

UECL: Villa's trophy hopes severely dented

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 Aston Villa 2 - 4 Olympiakos "Everything that could have gone wrong, did." Those were the words of one Aston Villa fan as their chances of reaching a first European final since 1982 were severely dented against Olympiakos. The star man on the night for the visitors was Ayoub El Kaabi. He scored a hat-trick, netting twice early on. Ollie Watkins then reduced the deficit for Unai Emery's side and Moussa Diaby equalised moments after the interval. Villa Park was rocking at this point, creating an atmosphere that had not been seen at the famous old stadium for many years.  However, Olympiakos roared back into a two-goal lead with a El Kaabi penalty and a deflected strike from Santiago Hezze.  Douglas Luiz missed a late penalty, meaning Villa must overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg.  The Greek Super League side have actually never reached a major European final. They played without fear and attacking verve as they pressed and harassed Villa into defensive mist

Premier League: West Ham and Villa play out a tense draw

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 West Ham United 1 - 1 Aston Vila Tomas Soucek came agonisingly close to securing a thrilling victory for West Ham, but fate had other plans as they had to settle for a single point against Aston Villa at London Stadium. In the dying moments of added time, Soucek believed he had clinched the win for the Hammers, connecting with James Ward-Prowse's free-kick. However, his jubilation was short-lived as VAR intervened, ruling out the goal due to a handball. Aston Villa, vying for a spot in the Champions League , found their saving grace in Nicolo Zaniolo, who equalised in the 79th minute. With a precise finish, Zaniolo capitalised on Moussa Diaby's well-placed pass into the box, notching his second league goal for Villa. Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 Michail Antonio initially gave West Ham the lead with a splendid diving header, his first Premier League goal since August. However, his joy was tempered when a second goal was disallowed for handball early in the sec

Premier League: Man United move closer to Champions League places

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 Aston Villa 1 - 2 Manchester United Manchester United gained a valuable 2-1 away win at Aston Villa to earn a long-awaited victory away against top-nine opposition. The Red Devils started the match at Villa Park, hoping to extend their recent game streak across all competitions. More Premier League news here:  Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Villa made a good start to the game and looked to keep possession of the ball for long spells to draw Manchester United onto them. However, the visitors had other plans as they sat back and looked to hit on the counter. Rasmus Hojlund gave them the perfect start as he fired the Red Devils 1-0 up after 17 minutes following an assist by Harry Maguire. United had 42% of the ball in the first half and attempted seven shots, but hit the target just once for Hojlund’s goal. Villa had 10 attempts with three on target but neither side managed to alter the scoreline as the visitors led 1-0 at the break. Unf

FA Cup: Villa progress after narrow win

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 Middlesborough 0 - 1 Aston Villa Aston Villa secured their first FA Cup victory since 2016, as Matty Cash delivered a late winning goal against Middlesbrough.  Highlights below from  The Emirates FA Cup - YouTube   The Championship club Boro was on the verge of forcing a replay when Cash's shot from outside the box took an unexpected deflection, ultimately beating goalkeeper Tom Glover. The Australian keeper had earlier displayed an impressive performance at the lively Riverside Stadium, frustrating the Premier League visitors with saves against young Colombia forward Jhon Duran (twice) and captain John McGinn. Villa' s frustration grew as Ezri Konsa's header hit the post before Poland full-back Cash scored his fourth goal of the season in three different competitions. Magic of the FA Cup: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) More Aston Villa news and stories This victory marked a significant milestone for Villa, a seven-time FA Cup-winning team that had not tas

Premier League: Garnacho inspires United to comeback win

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 Manchester United 3 - 2 Aston Villa Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal in the Premier League, propelling Manchester United to a spectacular comeback from a two-goal deficit against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Boxing Day. BIG THREE POINTS! ➕3️⃣ #MUFC || #MUNAVL — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 26, 2023 Under the management of Erik ten Hag, the team showcased their resilience with a remarkable turnaround in the match. Despite John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker giving Villa a deserving lead at half-time, United displayed unwavering determination in the second half.  More Premier League news here -  Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Even after Alejandro Garnacho had a goal disallowed by VAR for a marginal offside, the 19-year-old Argentine spearheaded the comeback by scoring twice, marking a significant milestone in his career. Villa tried to withstand the onslaught from the home team, but United, reminiscent of the old tenacity

Premier League: Chelsea lose again

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Chelsea 0 - 1 Aston Villa Chelsea's rough start to the Premier League season continued as Aston Villa heaped more misery on them with a victory at Stamford Bridge. In a tight game, Ollie Watkins managed to score a decisive goal from an extremely challenging angle, slipping the ball between the legs of Chelsea's goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez. This came after Malo Gusto received a red card for a dangerous tackle, leaving Chelsea with only 10 players on the field. The Villa was boss was delighted with the win and performance to go with it. Footage from  Aston Villa Football Club - YouTube Mauricio Pochettino's team had several opportunities to score before Gusto's dismissal, but as has been the story for much of their season, they couldn't convert any of them into goals. Despite notable efforts from Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling, who were thwarted by excellent saves from Villa's goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, and a missed chance from Enzo Fernandez. On th

Latest transfer rumours: 30/07/23

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 Let's explore some of the latest transfer rumours from across Europe. It is proving to be a busy summer. Mbappe on Merseyside or is he off to Madrid? Liverpool are in talks with Paris St-Germain over a shock loan move for Kylian Mbappe after he reportedly rejected a world record £259m move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. It had been suggested that Spanish side Real Madrid had previously set a price limit of 230m euros (£198m) to land Mbappe from PSG permanently. Are Man United on the verge of another signing? Manchester United and Atalanta have agreed a £72m deal for Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund. Reports from across Europe have said that Manchester United will pay £64m plus £8m in add-ons for the 20-year-old. In his 34 appearances last season, Hojlund scored 10 goals for Atalanta.  Football News: Man United on verge of another signing (manchestersupernews.blogspot.com) Kane to Bayern Munich? Bundesliga side Bayern Munich remain confident of completing a deal to sign Tottenham

Premier League: Villa qualify for Conference League

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 Aston Villa 2 - 1 Brighton & Hove Albion Aston Villa beat Brighton at Park to secure a return to European football.  The home needed to win to finish seventh in the Premier League and earn a spot in the playoffs for the Europa Conference League. Villa flew out of the blocks and forged ahead when Douglas Luiz scored after eight minutes. Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The architect of the first goal, Jacob Ramsey played creator once again when he unselfishly teed up Ollie Watkins to make it 2-0 with 28 minutes played. As he did for the first goal, Jacob Ramsey played creator again. He unselfishly teed up Ollie Watkins to make it 2-0 with 28 minutes played. In the 38th minute, a VAR decision went Undav's way when he scored following a quickly taken free-kick by Pascal Gross. The assistant referee had initially flagged for offside, but this decision was overruled.  Click here to watch the highlights via the Aston Villa Facebook page.  The best reaction f

Premier League: Wolves win West Midlands derby

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 Wolves 1 - 0 Aston Villa Victory on derby day over Aston Villa tasted all the sweeter for Wolves as it left them within touching distance of survival. Toti Gomes' bullet header settled a typically lively West Midlands clash and secured Wolves a fourth successive Molineux triumph. This has created a ten-point gap between them and the drop zone. Toti’s first goal for the club proved to be the game's only goal, with striking duo Matheus Cunha and Diego Costa both coming close, but it mattered not as a fiery atmosphere brought home the three points. This could lead to Premier League safety soon rather than later.  Let's explore the post-match reaction from the West Midlands. The full-time whistle sparked joyous scenes of celebration and another Premier League season is now within touching distance for the club. For Villa, it represents a missed opportunity in their quest for European qualification.  Danny, a Wolves Season Ticket holder, said: "That is a massive result

Premier League: It was a dramatic Sunday

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 There were 20 goals on a dramatic Sunday of Premier League football.  Let's explore what happened and examine what the impact might be come the end of the season. AFC Bournemouth 4 - 1 Leeds United Bournemouth earned a superb 4-1 win to deepen Leeds' relegation worries. A quick-fire Jefferson Lerma played a key part in lifting his side further away from relegation danger and leaving the visitors a point clear of the drop zone. Fulham 1 - 2 Manchester City Manchester City beat Fulham to return to the top of the Premier League for the first time since February as Erling Haaland scored his 50th goal of the season in all competitions. Fulham did themselves proud on the day but didn't offer enough in an attacking sense to worry the title favourites too much. Can City go and win The Treble? Click here to see all the news and stories from East Manchester.  Manchester United 1 - 0 Aston Villa Bruno Fernandes scored his 100th career league goal to boost Manchester United's

Premier League: Emery appointed as Aston Villa manager

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Is this a good appointment for Aston Villa? They have appointed Unai Emery as manager following the sacking of Steven Gerrard. Premier League news: Steven Gerrard sacked by Aston Villa (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Emery had joined Villarreal in 2020 and led them to Europa League success in the 2020-21 season, beating Manchester United in the final. The Spanish club also reached last year's Champions League semi-finals under Emery, losing 5-2 to Liverpool on aggregate. Emery in his Arsenal days. Credit -  Rckr88 | Flickr Emery's Villarreal appointment followed his sacking after just 18 months as Arsenal manager in November 2019. He was dismissed after failing to win in seven games. During his time in North London he took Arsenal to the Europa League final, losing to Chelsea in 2019. Villa beat Brentford 4-0 on Sunday under caretaker Danks - just their third win in 12 Premier League games this season - which left them 14th, three points above the relegation zone. All the