Aston Villa latest: Recapping famous UEFA Champions League victory over Bayern and their standout player so far this season
Aston Villa hosted the iconic UEFA Champions League music for the first time since 1982 when they welcomed Bayern Munich to Villa Park for their second group game. We’re recapping the action and looking at Unai Emery’s side this season and just how impressive they’ve been.
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00:00On to Aston Villa, obviously a sensational win in the Champions League,
00:05hosting Bayern Munich.
00:06I mean, was it sort of a sign that it all sort of came together for them?
00:12An amazing start, you know, carrying on from that incredible season last year.
00:16This is really them strutting their style in the Champions League,
00:20and it's great to see.
00:21Yeah, unbelievable night at Villa Park.
00:24I was lucky enough to be there in the press box for it.
00:27One of the best atmospheres I've felt ever, let alone at Villa,
00:30so really impressive from the fan base there.
00:33And obviously very expensive tickets to get in,
00:35but Villa fans were never going to miss that match against Bayern Munich.
00:38Of course, the opposition that they beat in 1982 in Rotterdam to win the European Cup,
00:43a very romantic return to European football at Villa Park,
00:46and made even better by the result.
00:48I don't think people would have cared too much had Bayern Munich gone on to win that.
00:52They were the heavy favourites.
00:53But one moment of magic once again from John Duran off the bench.
00:56Lobbing Manuel Neuer, one of the best goalkeepers of our generation,
01:00the absolute audacity to do that.
01:01Send Villa Park into raptures.
01:03And of course, in the first half as well,
01:05they had that disallowed goal from Pau Torres.
01:07So, two fantastic moments under the lights.
01:10And I don't think Villa fans can still quite believe that they've beaten Bayern Munich,
01:13but it's a situation.
01:14Six points out of six, and they're now looking like favourites for the top eight.
01:19Yeah, just on that top eight, will that be Emery's sort of aim?
01:22You know, we know he's been so good in Europe,
01:25and especially the Europa League, for example, when he was in Spain.
01:30That top eight is going to be so illustrious, so hard to get into,
01:33but are Villa really going to go for it in terms of where they want to be?
01:40Well, it's still early days, we've got to say that.
01:42You wouldn't have expected them to win the first two.
01:44The young boys won.
01:45Yep, they're definitely the favourites for that.
01:47But Bayern, I think Villa would have been happy to get just a point out of that.
01:50But a couple of extras there, definitely a bonus,
01:53and puts them in a fantastic position with the other games to come.
01:55But there are still some very difficult ties in there.
01:58Juventus at home.
01:59Bologna, a lot of people using that as potential straight win,
02:03immediately predicting that, but it's not going to be as easy as that.
02:06They were very good in Italy last season.
02:08Celtic could be a banana skin.
02:10Obviously, they did lose 7-1 to Dortmund,
02:12but they can turn up on their day and beat anybody.
02:15And some tougher away trips as well to RB Leipzig.
02:18Club Bruges aren't going to exactly be a walkover,
02:20and then Monaco beat Barcelona a few weeks ago.
02:23So anything can happen there.
02:24Villa, they can't just say that they're going to finish in the last eight
02:27because they've won the first two.
02:28There's a lot of hard work to go.
02:30But they're certainly in a good position.
02:32And who's been the standout player for them?
02:34Obviously, John Duran again scoring from the bench, an amazing night for him.
02:40Who's been the standout player in terms of Villa's campaign so far?
02:43Emiliano Martinez in goal.
02:46Having that basis and that confidence from the back against Bayern Munich stood out.
02:50I gave him a 10 out of 10 in my player ratings.
02:52I don't even think that's over the top.
02:54He was sublime.
02:56People say he's the world's best,
02:57and I don't think many would argue with that at the moment.