John McGinn has expressed Aston Villa’s determination to seek “sporting revenge” against Club Brugge in their upcoming Champions League last-16 first leg, following their unexpected defeat in Belgium last November. Villa were beaten 1-0 in a match where Tyrone Mings was penalized for handling the ball in the penalty area, resulting in Brugge’s only goal of the game. McGinn believes that Villa must show significant improvement from that encounter if they are to get a positive result this time around.
“We need to play a lot, lot better than the last time we played here,” said McGinn. “We know we need to be at our best to get a result. We analyzed the game this morning, so we know the parts of the game where we were poor, so we are well set for tomorrow.”
The defeat to Brugge was a rare slip-up for Villa in European competition this season, which has otherwise seen them perform admirably, despite a few setbacks. McGinn pointed out that the squad has yet to find consistent form but remains hopeful that they can string together a successful run as the season progresses.
Villa’s performance in the Premier League has been marked by inconsistency, but their efforts in the FA Cup have continued to impress, as they reached the quarter-finals. Although Villa’s European campaign started with a disappointing loss in Brugge and another defeat to Monaco, they have shown resilience and potential. “We’ve got an opportunity to make some history, but there’s still a long way to go in each competition,” McGinn noted. “I think the exciting thing for us is we know we’ve not had top form yet. We’ve still got a lot more to give.”
Despite the erratic performances at times, McGinn is confident that Villa can step up their game as they head toward the business end of the season. The midfielder emphasized that the squad has plenty of untapped potential, and they can still improve their consistency. “There’s been a big inconsistency about us this season, so hopefully towards the end of the season we start to click more consistently, and we can do something special,” McGinn stated. “Competing in the elite competition in Europe has taken its toll domestically, and we know we’ve got it in us to put a run together.”
Villa’s prospects look even brighter with key players expected to return to full fitness. Pau Torres, who has been sidelined for two months due to a fractured metatarsal, is in line to make his return, while Boubacar Kamara, who has missed the last four matches with a hamstring issue, could also feature in Belgium. However, Villa will be without right-back Andrés García and forward Donyell Malen, both of whom were left out of Villa’s Champions League squad after joining in January.
Manager Unai Emery acknowledged that this is a critical moment in Villa’s season. “It is a key moment for the season,” Emery said. “We have to be responsible, mature, and emotionally strong as well.” The Villa manager also stressed the importance of learning from their previous encounter with Brugge, when the Belgian side played outstanding football but Villa failed to match their intensity. “We didn’t compete like we usually do,” Emery reflected. “We have to be focused to reach our objectives. Now we know them better. It is a challenge for us.”
Emery’s focus will be on ensuring Villa shows the right mentality and approach this time around, as they aim to get their Champions League campaign back on track after the loss in Brugge. The players will need to remain composed, disciplined, and focused on the task at hand if they are to progress further in the competition.
