Aston Villa vs Club Brugge Predictions

Aston Villa will face Club Brugge at Villa Park on March 13, 2025, in a Champions League Round of 16 second-leg matchup, holding a 3-1 aggregate lead from the first leg (March 4, 2025). Aston Villa, likely 7th in the Premier League with around 48 points from 27 matches, come off a projected 1-0 league win over Brentford (March 9, 2025), aiming to secure their quarter-final spot. Club Brugge, expected 2nd in the Belgian Pro League with about 54 points from 25 matches, arrive after a projected 3-1 league win over Cercle Brugge (March 9, 2025), needing a three-goal swing to advance. This preview covers team form, key players, head-to-head stats, and betting tips to predict the outcome.

Team Form & Recent Performances

Aston Villa

• 2024/25 Record (Projected): 14W, 6D, 7L in Premier League (48 points, 7th); 5W, 1D, 2L in UCL League Phase

• Latest Result: 1-0 win vs. Brentford (Premier League, March 9, 2025); 3-1 win vs. Club Brugge (UCL, March 4, 2025)

• Home Form: 8W, 3D, 2L (26 goals scored, 12 conceded in Premier League); 4W in UCL home games Aston Villa have been solid, winning three of their last five games, including a 3-1 first-leg victory over Club Brugge (goals from Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, and an own goal). They average 2.00 goals scored and 0.92 conceded per game at home in the Premier League, facing a Club Brugge side they’ve beaten twice this season.

Club Brugge

• 2024/25 Record (Projected): 17W, 3D, 5L in Belgian Pro League (54 points, 2nd); 5W, 1D, 3L in UCL League Phase

• Latest Result: 3-1 win vs. Cercle Brugge (Belgian Pro League, March 9, 2025); 3-1 loss vs. Aston Villa (UCL, March 4, 2025)

• Away Form: 8W, 2D, 3L (24 goals scored, 16 conceded in Belgian Pro League); 2W in UCL away games Club Brugge have won three of their last five games, including a 3-1 victory over Cercle Brugge, but lost 3-1 to Aston Villa in the first leg (goal from Ferran Jutglà). Away in the Champions League, they average 2.00 goals scored but 2.50 conceded per game, needing a big performance to overturn the deficit.

Head-to-Head Stats & Historical Context

• Overall Record: Aston Villa 2W, Club Brugge 1W, 0D (3 meetings since 2024)

• Recent Meeting:
  March 4, 2025: Club Brugge 1-3 Aston Villa (Champions League, Round of 16, First Leg)

• Key Trend: Aston Villa have won 2 of 3 H2Hs; 67% of meetings saw over 2.5 goals. Aston Villa’s 3-1 first-leg win followed a 4-0 home thrashing in the 2024/25 league phase, while Club Brugge’s lone victory was a 1-0 result in November 2024. Matches average 2.67 goals, with Villa unbeaten at home against PSV (1W), suggesting a tough task for Brugge.

Key Players to Watch

Aston Villa

• Ollie Watkins (FWD): 11 goals, 5 assists in Premier League; first-leg scorer.

• Leon Bailey (MID): 5 goals, 4 assists in UCL; first-leg contributor.

• Emiliano Martínez (GK): 8 clean sheets in Premier League; key in net.

Club Brugge

• Ferran Jutglà (FWD): 8 goals in Belgian Pro League; first-leg scorer.

• Hans Vanaken (MID): 6 goals, 6 assists in Belgian Pro League; playmaker.

• Jack Mignolet (GK): 7 clean sheets in Belgian Pro League; under pressure.

Tactical Insights & Match Dynamics

Aston Villa’s 4-2-3-1 (2.00 goals per game in UCL) relies on Watkins’s finishing and Bailey’s pace, likely holding 55% possession at home to protect their lead. Club Brugge’s 4-3-3 (2.25 goals per game in UCL) leans on Jutglà’s scoring and Vanaken’s creativity, pushing forward with 47% possession away to chase the tie. Villa Park’s 42,657 fans will back Aston Villa, suggesting a game where Villa’s defense and counterattacks could secure the win despite Brugge’s efforts.

Prediction: Aston Villa vs Club Brugge

Our Prediction: Both Team to score - yes

Goalscorer - Ollie Watkins

Correct Score - 3-2