The immaculate record that Aston Villa had in the Champions League, three victories in the first three days, was going to come to an end. But no one imagined that he would do it with a move as delirious as it was absurd. Bruges did not waste it and handed Unai Emery’s team their first European defeat (1-0).
It was the 50th minute with no goals on the scoreboard, when the referee, the German Tobias Stieler, signaled a goal kick in favor of Aston Villa. ‘Dibu’ Martínez put the ball into play and gave it to his central defender Mings. The English defender, in an improper display of misplacement, he caught the ball with his hands to put possession into play himself.
Faced with general perplexity, the referee had no choice but to award the maximum penalty, a penalty as surreal as it was absurd. Vanaken did not waste the gift and put Bruges ahead from eleven meters. Thanks to a delirious play, reminiscent of similar episodes such as the one involving Sergio Ramos at Mestalla back in 2006 or, last year, by David Raya and Gabriel with Arsenal, which was not flagged by the referee because it was “a mistake of children.
Villa tried to get up, without success. Only the great performance of the Argentine goalkeeper meant that the Belgians’ advantage, who were better for most of the ninety minutes, was not greater. Emery’s team remains with nine points, while Bruges climbs to six with its second victory.
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