Aston Villa kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign in style with a commanding 3-0 win over Swiss side Young Boys.
It was a dominant display from the Premier League club, with standout performances from Youri Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey, and Amadou Onana, ensuring Unai Emery’s men made the perfect start to their European journey.
Villa quickly stamped their authority on the game, taking control early on. The breakthrough came from Youri Tielemans, who finished a well-worked move to open the scoring.
Shortly after, Jacob Ramsey added a second, with the young midfielder continuing to impress in his role. Ollie Watkins also had the ball in the back of the net before VAR intervened, ruling out the goal.
The second half followed a similar script, with Aston Villa maintaining their control. Jhon Durán, who has been in sensational form this season, thought he had added a third goal, only for VAR to once again rule it out. The Colombian striker showed his frustration, but Villa didn’t have to wait long for a third.
Amadou Onana, who has quickly become a fan favourite at Villa Park, capped off the victory with a stunning long-range strike to seal the 3-0 win. His powerful effort left the Young Boys’ goalkeeper with no chance and rounded off a brilliant performance from the visitors.
Watkin’s injury concern
The only downside to an otherwise perfect night for Villa came with the potential injury to Ollie Watkins. The striker was substituted in the 60th minute, and cameras later showed him icing his ankle, raising concerns about his fitness.
Ollie Watkins with ice on his ankle after being taken off for Aston Villa tonight ? pic.twitter.com/XLczAOre90
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 17, 2024
BBC’s Jess Anderson reported live from the game, saying:
“Cameras have just shown Ollie Watkins sitting on the bench with ice on his ankle. Is that why he came off?”
Villa fans will hope the injury isn’t serious, as Watkins has been crucial part of Unai Emery’s side.