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Villa and AEK Athens first to win in Champions League
Reuters • September 9th, 2026 8:11 am
Aston Villa captain John McGinn, who scored their first goal, celebrates the win in Bruges | Photo: EPA
Aston Villa have survived a second-half surge from Club Brugge to open their Champions League campaign with a 3-2 away win.
AEK Athens also made a winning start, beating Austrian side LASK 1-0 in Greece thanks to Romanian midfielder Razvan Marin's curling free kick midway through the first half.
In Belgium, Pau Torres set up John McGinn to put Villa ahead in the 11th minute, but Hugo Vetlesen equalised for the hosts eight minutes later.
AEK Athens' Razvan Marin scores the opening goal against Austria's LASK | Photo: AP
Villa responded swiftly, with Emiliano Buendia restoring their lead from a Joao Gomes assist before Nicolas Jackson made it 3-1 just before half-time, Torres again supplying the final pass.
Brugge dominated after the break and Nicolo Tresoldi pulled a goal back with a penalty in the 61st minute, but Villa protected their advantage to secure all three points.
Marin provided the decisive moment for AEK in the 21st minute, curling a free kick from outside the penalty area on the left-hand side into the top corner beyond the goalkeeper's reach.
