In a rematch of Matchday 4’s encounter, Club Brugge host Aston Villa in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League clash.
The Belgian side beat Atalanta 5-2 on aggregate in their play-off tie, while the visitors secured a spot in the Top 8 of the new-look League Phase.
Revenge will be on the mind for Villa after losing 1-0 in Belgium last time out, setting us up for a potential first-leg cracker.
Below, you will find a full match preview, with tips for your football bet and online football betting.
And if your midweek Champions League bet is winning, our Cash Out feature allows you to collect those winnings early.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa Preview
Domestically, Club Brugge have really been struggling of late and are without a win in three Jupiler Pro League matches following last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Gent.
Nicky Hayen’s outfit can no longer catch runaway leaders Genk ahead of the Championship Play-Offs, so extra focus will be placed on this tie as a result.
On home soil, Club Brugge are usually a strong outfit, although they did suffer a 3-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 1.
But the Belgian side are unbeaten on their own patch in the Champions League since then – and that is not great news for a Villa team who are really struggling to pick up positive results away from home.
Unai Emery’s last away success came on January 15, when his men beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park.
The four matches since then have yielded no wins, with the Villans losing the last two on their travels against Wolves and Crystal Palace.
But the Premier League side can perhaps take comfort from positive European trips earlier this season, with key victories over Young Boys (0-3) and RB Leipzig (2-3) in the League Phase.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Villa enter the match as slight favourites for the win at odds of 2.45. Hosts Club Brugge are priced at 3.00, while the draw is 3.45.
Club Brugge vs Aston Villa Betting Tips
Marco Asensio to score anytime @ 4.35
Four of Villa’s last five goals have been scored by the in-form Asensio. The Spaniard netted braces against Chelsea and Cardiff, so we are backing him to strike again in Belgium.
Both teams to score in the second half – Yes @ 3.05
The first half of this match could be a little bit cagey, despite the fact the teams have already played each other this season. But things should open up in the second period, which could pave the way for goals.
Aston Villa to score over 1.5 goals @ 2.25
Speaking of goals, Villa’s attacking power leads us to believe that they can score at least twice. The arrivals of Asensio, Marcus Rashford and Donyell Malen in January mean Villa’s frontline is one of the most stacked in Europe and there won’t be many matches from now until the end of the season in which Emery’s side do not beat the opposing goalkeeper on multiple occasions.
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