Club Brugge scouting report: How good are Aston Villa’s Champions League Last 16 opponents?

Expert insight from Belgium 

Although Aston Villa’s form in the Premier League this season has been anything but consistent, Unai Emery’s side have done remarkably well in the Champions League. Not only did the club qualify for the Last 16 of the European tournament through the league stage, but they did so after picking up big wins over solid European sides like Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Bologna. And this week they’ll look to continue that impressive form with a win in the first leg of their Last 16 tie against Club Brugge. 

The English side haven’t reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup since 1983 and will be heavy favourites to beat their Belgian rivals over both legs and advance to the next round. However, Emery and his side will certainly be well aware of Brugge’s obvious talent. Not only did Villa lose to the Belgians in the group stage, but will also be tasked with overcoming a team that recently knocked Europa League winners Atalanta out in the previous round. So how good are Brugge and what should Villa fans expect from their Last 16 foes? To find out more, we spoke to Transfermarkt expert Bart Tamsyn. 

How good have Club Brugge been this season? 

Despite their obvious success in Europe this season, Brugge have spent most of this current league campaign in second place behind KRC Genk. Nicky Hayen’s side currently sit nine points behind their domestic rivals and, according to Tamsyn, their diminishing form in the Jupiler Pro League may in fact be down to European football stealing much of their attention. “They got off to a hesitant start, but gained momentum in the autumn with a run of 20 games in a row unbeaten across all competitions,” said Tamsyn. “Currently, it is shifting with European successes alternating with points losses in their own league. For example, they have already lost 17 points in their own league after a European game this season. Like last season, the points halving in the play-offs may work in their favour to take the title.”

How well have Club Brugge done in the Champions League this season? 

However, Villa fans shouldn’t take too much confidence from Brugge tripping up in the Belgiuan top-flight. In stark contrast to their domestic form, Brugge have been excellent in Europe this season and in many ways they are not only upsetting the odds against bigger clubs but may in fact be having their best ever season in the competition. “One word: Brilliant! It is the best Champions League campaign ever for Club Brugge,” stated Tamsyn, when asked about Brugge’s European form. “Especially with the double victory against Atalanta, the wins against Aston Villa and Sporting and the draw against Juventus, who were all teams rated higher than Club Brugge and who nobody gave the Belgian side any hope of beating.”

Who is Club Brugge’s best player? 

Of course, such fantastic results against the best England, Italy and Portugal have to offer takes more than individual brilliance but behind Hayen’s excellent tactics are some players that Villa fans should keep an eye on. “They have several good players with Simon Mignolet, Brandon Mechele, Hans Vanaken, Christos Tzolis, but if I had to pick one, it would be Ardon Jashari,” noted Tamsyn. “He needed a few months to work his way into the team, but captured a regular starting place the moment Club Brugge began its unbeaten run. Currently, even supporters fear he will be unkeepable in the summer, with some dreaming of a €40m transfer fee. Perhaps a little too high, but breaking the club record of €33m (without bonuses) might be possible.”

As a defensive midfielder by trade, Jashari has been an ever-present member of Brugge’s starting XI when fit and started in all but one of the club’s Champions League games to date. Although the Swiss talent only has two goals and four assists in all competitions this season, he’ll be primarily tasked with stopping Villa’s attacking midfielders on Wednesday and will undoubtedly be pivotal to the club’s hopes of causing another continental upset against the Premier League side.  

Do Club Brugge have any notable weaknesses? 

While Villa will look to exert their own control on the game, they will want to be wary of how Brugge can hurt them on the counter attack.  But that in itself could prove to be one of the Belgian club’s biggest weaknesses and perhaps how Emery’s side could stop their rivals from finding the back of the next. “On their own, Aston Villa’s players should be of a better quality than Club Brugge’s players,” said Tamsyn. “We can assume that the mid-table of the Premier League is still better than the best in the Jupiler Pro League. So ball possession might well fall in favour of Aston Villa, although Club Brugge will also claim it if they can.”

He added: “Brugge won’t be able to use long balls easily because in their traditional starting eleven the attacking positions only has one player in Hans Vanaken who can typically win aerial duels. Instead, they will look for space between the lines or behind the Villa defence with a targeted ball from Jashari or Vanaken to play off the speed of Christos Tzolis, Ferran Jutgla or Chemsdine Talbi. Just look at how the three goals against Atalanta were scored. However, if they don’t get that space, then it will be difficult for Club Brugge. Especially on the right side of defence, where they typically play with a 19 and 20 year old who do lack some experience, while right winger Talbi may well lose sight of his defensive duties sometimes. Which is how Atalanta won their penalty in the last round or how STVV led 2-0 two weekends ago.”