Barcelona Beat Aston Villa 3-0 in Champions League
Barcelona beat Aston Villa 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday, ending the English side’s perfect start to the competition. Raphinha struck twice, after Lamine Yamal opened the scoring.
Barcelona bounced back after defeat by champions Paris Saint-Germain in their previous European outing, and stayed in the hunt for a top-eight league phase berth.
Unai Emery’s Villa competed well in the first half but were eventually undone by Barcelona’s greater ability in the final third. The result leaves Villa well positioned, provisionally third in the league phase table, but ends the unbeaten run that had carried them into the match.
Barcelona beat Aston Villa as Yamal gifts the lead
Villa handed Barcelona the lead in the seventh minute, in a match played in a downpour at the Camp Nou.
The Spanish champions pressed Aston Villa extremely high, and Joao Gomes played a poor pass straight to Yamal in his own box. The 19-year-old winger gladly took the gift and stroked past Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
Yamal’s goal was his 14th in the competition across his career, beating Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe’s previous record tally of 13 netted as a teenager in the Champions League.
“Tonight was a huge learning curve for us and I am sure it will stand us in good stead for the future,” McGinn told TNT Sports. “Barcelona made the right decisions at the right times and scored really good goals.”
Villa reacted strongly after the early setback. Matty Cash had a drive deflected narrowly wide, and Suzuki saved from Anthony Gordon as Villa struggled to play out from the back under Barcelona’s pressing.
Raphinha brace settles the match
Barcelona extended their lead early in the second half when Fermin Lopez fed Raphinha, who showed quick footwork before finding the bottom corner. Cancelo set up Raphinha for Barcelona’s third with a superb cross with the outside of his boot. The Brazil winger, who has made the number nine position his own this season, pounced from close range for his 19th goal across all competitions.
Barcelona recorded a first Champions League clean sheet in 19 games.
Coach Hansi Flick was pleased with Barcelona keeping Villa at bay. “It was important that we defended together very compactly,” said the German coach. “The back line played on an amazing level, they defended everything.”
Emery said the match was a good lesson for his side against one of the biggest teams in Europe. “We must be ruthless in the attacking third, we must be more demanding of ourselves, creating those chances to score,” Emery told reporters. “The 3-0 is maybe more (heavy) than we deserved, but we accept this defeat, taking a lot of information for our improvement.”
A night marked by tribute
The Champions League anthem was not played before the game, as a mark of respect for Tenerife striker Jesus De Miguel, who died on Tuesday morning after an on-pitch collision in a Spanish second division match the previous day, provoking shock across the football world.
Raphinha dedicated the win to De Miguel’s family. “Yes it was (a good win), I want to dedicate this win to the fans, but today I don’t want to talk about football, I want to send a message to the family of Jesus, may he rest in peace,” Raphinha told Movistar.
“This can happen to anyone, it’s very tough. You are going to play a game and the same thing can happen to you. From the club, I want to send a message of strength to the family.”
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The result came on the same Champions League night as PSG beating Villarreal 6-0, Harry Kane choosing the Champions League over the Ballon d’Or, the death of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, and the AFC Asian Cup 2027 postponement.
Frequently asked questions
What was the score between Barcelona and Aston Villa?
Barcelona beat Aston Villa 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Lamine Yamal scoring first and Raphinha adding two second-half goals.
How did Barcelona take the lead?
Villa handed Barcelona the lead in the seventh minute when Joao Gomes played a poor pass straight to Yamal in his own box, and the 19-year-old stroked past goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
What record did Yamal set?
Yamal’s goal was his 14th in the Champions League across his career, beating Kylian Mbappe’s previous record tally of 13 scored as a teenager in the competition.
Why was the Champions League anthem not played?
The anthem was not played as a mark of respect for Tenerife striker Jesus De Miguel, who died on Tuesday morning after an on-pitch collision in a Spanish second division match the previous day.
Where do the teams stand in the league phase?
Barcelona stayed in the hunt for a top-eight league phase berth after bouncing back from defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, while Aston Villa are provisionally third despite the end of their perfect start.
