Aston Villa host Club Brugge in the second leg of their last 16 Champions League tie with a distinct advantage.
Unai Emery’s side claimed a 3-1 win in Belgium last week and as a result, they have one foot in the quarter-finals.
But Club Brugge are a team who can never be ruled out and the Villa boss will certainly not be underestimating the opposition ahead of kick-off on Wednesday evening.
You can always find a range of markets and odds for football betting online, as well as live online betting options for all Champions League fixtures!
Aston Villa vs Club Brugge Preview
It has been a very good couple of weeks for Aston Villa.
The Villans are into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup after beating Cardiff in the Fifth Round and enter this fixture on the back of a huge 1-0 win at Brentford in the Premier League.
A second-half goal from Ollie Watkins means Emery’s men are up to 7th in the Premier League table as they look to break into the coveted Top 4.
Club Brugge’s defeat in the first leg of this tie was their third consecutive game without a win across all competitions and things were starting to look bleak for manager Nicky Hayen.
However, a morale-boosting 3-1 triumph at fierce rivals Cercle Brugge on the weekend was exactly what the football doctor ordered.
Key striker Ferran Jutgla bagged a brace in the Jupiler Pro League derby fixture, while veteran playmaker Hans Vanaken was also on the scoresheet.
And they are two players Club Brugge will need to perform at their very best to have any hope of completing a comeback at Villa Park.
While a turnaround against an in-form side looks unlikely on paper, do not forget that the Belgians already displayed a distinct level of class on their travels in the Champions League play-offs.
Hayen’s team beat Atalanta 3-1 in Bergamo and a repeat performance quality-wise is what is needed against Villa.
And even that may not be enough…
Aston Villa vs Club Brugge Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Villa are huge favourites to claim a second-leg victory at 1.59. Club Brugge are priced at 5.10, while the draw is 4.20.
Aston Villa vs Club Brugge Betting Tips
Ollie Watkins to score anytime @ 2.08
Watkins was quiet in the first leg and even watched on as Marco Asensio stepped up from the penalty spot to score Villa’s third goal. But after a strike at the weekend, we fancy the English side’s main man to dazzle in front of home support.
Over 1.5 first half goals @ 2.30
By the 12th minute of the first leg, this bet would have come in after early goals from Leon Bailey and Maxim De Cuyper. Club Brugge also scored all three of their goals against Cercle in the first half, so opting for a goal-filled opening 45 minutes seems a sensible course of action.
Aston Villa to win and both teams to score @ 2.95
This is a great way to boost your odds on a Villa win. The Premier League outfit have not kept a clean sheet in the Champions League since Matchday 5, while Club Brugge have scored in each of their last four European contests.
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