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Aston Villa are back in Europe’s top competition for the fist time since 1983 with this season’s campaign technically being their first in the Champions League following the 1992/93 rebrand. Unai Emery’s team finished fourth in the Premier League last year after a superb campaign and a tense finish saw them edge out Tottenham for the final spot.
Villa are the 11th English team to feature in the Champions League and will have their work cut out for them. In a revamped format that sees teams competing for different league positions, Villa - who kick off their campaign tonight against Young Boys - will also take on the likes of Juventus, Bayern Munich and Celtic in this first stage of the tournament.
Emery’s side will look to build on their run to the Europa Conference League semi-finals last year and will take plenty of momentum into the match having come from two goals down to beat Everton 3-2 at Villa Park on Saturday. In contrast Young Boys lost their opening three league games of the season and sit bottom of the Swiss Super League so should be low on confidence.
Follow all the Champions League action with our live blog below:
Young Boys 0-1 Aston Villa
36 mins: Ezri Konsa floats a long ball into the box where it gets nodded down to Morgan Rogers. He shuffles into space and delivers a cross into the six-yard area that gets cleared.
The ball comes to Ebrima Colley who pings a cross field pass up the pitch. The counter attack is a good one and the ball is sent across to Zachary Athekame who messes up the effort at goal.
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:23
Young Boys 0-1 Aston Villa
33 mins: Ugrinic swings a corner into the box for Young Boys who seem ever so slightly deflated after conceding the goal. Emi Martinez comes off his line and plucks the ball out of the air.
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:19
Young Boys 0-1 Aston Villa
30 mins: Fresh on the back of the goal, Ollie Watkins has a good chance to add a second after making a run in behind the defence. Watkins slightly rushes the effort with the knowledge that the two centre-backs are closing him down.
He pulls the ball wide of the target and Villa know a decent chance has gone begging there.
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:18
GOAL! Young Boys 0-1 Aston Villa (Youri Tielemans, 27 mins)
The breakthrough comes for Aston Villa!
The visitors win a corner that gets played short to John McGinn. He swings a cross over to the far side of the box where Youri Tielemans is all alone.
He brings the ball under control then scurries a low effort between the legs of the nearest defender and picks out the far bottom corner!
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:14
Young Boys 0-0 Aston Villa
24 mins: Nearly!
A simple long ball comes up to Ollie Watkins who spins in behind the defence then cushions a header down into the path of John McGinn.
McGinn takes a touch then fizzes off a shot which flies agonisingly wide of the left-hand post.
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:11
Young Boys 0-0 Aston Villa
22 mins: Ugrinic has been decent at delivering set pieces into the box and he is again with a free kick over on the left wing. He whips it towards goal but an early move frmo Emi Martinez sees the goalkeeper punch it away.
Young Boys collect the ball and work it across to Ebrima Colley. Colley cuts onto his right foot and curls shot at goal, landing it on the roof of the net.
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:09
Young Boys 0-0 Aston Villa
19 mins: Oh!
Silvere Ganvoula makes a fine run down the left before feeding Jaouen Hadjam into the box. He makes a twisting, spinning run past the defence before getting brought down following a Pau Torres block.
The referee sees nothing wrong with the tackle and waves for play to continue.
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:06
Young Boys 0-0 Aston Villa
16 mins: Over on TNT Sports commentary Ally McCoist believes the artificial pitch may be playing its part in the game already and he says Villa’s player look to be taking ‘the slightest half a second longer’ to control and play the ball which is giving the hosts time to close them down.
Zavhary Athekame makes his presence known against Jacob Ramsey. He grabs the forward’s shoulder and drags him to ground but escapes punishment.
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:03
Young Boys 0-0 Aston Villa
13 mins: Save! Ebrima Colley receives the ball on the left wing and plays a pass into the penalty area for Cheikh Niasse. He holds the ball up then rolls it back to Colley who smokes a low effort at goal.
Emi Martinez drops low and keeps the ball out before Filip Ugrinic drills a follow up effort wide of the target!
Mike Jones17 September 2024 18:00
Young Boys 0-0 Aston Villa
12 mins: The home side are starting to take control of this game and have managed to peg Aston Villa into their own half. Another ball into the penalty area is flapped at by Emi Martinez who only knocks it into the danger zone in front of him.
Luckily a Villa defender, Lamare Bogarde by the looks of it, gets to the loose ball first and hooks it clear.
Mike Jones17 September 2024 17:59