- Aston Villa secured a 3-2 away victory over RB Leipzig, strengthening their position for a place in the Champions League round of 16
- Substitute Ross Barkley scored the winning goal for Aston Villa, with John McGinn and Jhon Durán also finding the net for the Birmingham side
- Aston Villa is now third in the standings with 13 points
- RB Leipzig suffered their sixth consecutive defeat, ending their hopes of finishing in the top 24
- Club Brugge defeated Sporting Lisbon 2-1 at home, bringing their tally to 10 points
Key Takeaways:
Aston Villa took a significant step towards securing a place in the Champions League round of 16 with a thrilling 3-2 away victory over RB Leipzig. The Birmingham side took the lead three times in Germany, with substitute Ross Barkley scoring the winning goal five minutes before the end of regular time. John McGinn opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, but Lois Openda equalized for RB Leipzig in the 27th. Jhon Durán restored Villa’s lead early in the second half with a brilliant strike, only for Christoph Baumgartner to level the score again in the 62nd minute.
The win marks a crucial turning point for Unai Emery’s team, who are now third in their group with 13 points and two matches remaining. They will face Monaco away and Celtic at home, with their fate still in their own hands. On the other hand, RB Leipzig’s defeat marks their sixth consecutive loss, ending their hopes of finishing in the top 24.
These nights they can be so special ✨ pic.twitter.com/rCCjats3gr
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 10, 2024
In another match, Club Brugge secured their third win of the tournament with a 2-1 home victory over Sporting Lisbon. A late goal from Casper Nielsen proved to be the difference, bringing Club Brugge’s tally to 10 points and placing them 14th in the standings. Sporting, who also have 10 points, have seen their strong start to the competition unravel, with four consecutive defeats across all competitions, including a heavy 5-1 loss to Arsenal at the end of November.