Aston Villa’s incredible night beating Bayern at Villa Park

National World - LocalTV

A review of the action.

Transcript

00:00On to Aston Villa, obviously a sensational win in the Champions League,

00:05hosting Bayern Munich. I mean, was it sort of a sign that it all sort of came together for them?

00:12An amazing start, you know, carrying on from that incredible season last year.

00:16This is really them strutting their style in the Champions League and it's great to see.

00:22Yeah, unbelievable night at Villa Park. I was lucky enough to be there in the press box for it.

00:27One of the best atmospheres I've felt ever, let alone at Villa.

00:30So really impressive from the fan base there and obviously very expensive tickets to get in,

00:35but Villa fans were never going to miss that match against Bayern Munich.

00:39Of course, the opposition that they beat in 1982 in Rotterdam to win the European Cup,

00:43a very romantic return to European football at Villa Park and made even better by the result.

00:48I don't think people would have cared too much had Bayern Munich gone on to win that.

00:52They were the heavy favourites, but one moment of magic once again from John Duran off the bench,

00:56lobbing Manuel Neuer, one of the best goalkeepers of our generation.

00:59The absolute audacity to do that, send Villa Park into raptures.

01:03And of course, in the first half as well, they had that disallowed goal from Pau Torres.

01:07So two fantastic moments under the lights and I don't think Villa fans can still quite believe

01:12that they've beaten Bayern Munich, but it's a situation.

01:14Six points out of six and they're now looking like favourites for the top eight.

01:19Yeah, just on that top eight, will that be Emery's sort of aim?

01:23We know he's been so good in Europe and especially the Europa League, for example, when he was in Spain.

01:30That top eight is going to be so illustrious, so hard to get into.

01:33But are Villa really going to go for it in terms of where they want to be?

01:39Well, it's still early days.

01:41We've got to say that you wouldn't have expected them to win the first two.

01:44The young boys won.

01:45Yeah, they're definitely the favourites for that.

01:47But Bayern, I think Villa would have been happy to get just a point out of that.

01:50But a couple of extras there, definitely a bonus and puts them in a fantastic position with the other games to come.

01:55But there are still some very difficult ties in there.

01:58Juventus at home, Bologna, a lot of people using that as potential straight win,

02:03immediately predicting that, but it's not going to be as easy as that.

02:06They were very good in Italy last season.

02:08Celtic could be a banana skin.

02:10Obviously, they did lose 7-1 to Dortmund, but they can turn up on their day and beat anybody.

02:15And some tougher away trips as well to RB Leipzig.

02:18Club Bruges aren't going to exactly be a walkover.

02:20And then Monaco beat Barcelona a few weeks ago.

02:23So anything can happen there.

02:24Villa, they can't just say that they're going to finish in the last eight because they've won the first two.

02:28There's a lot of hard work to go, but they're certainly in a good position.

02:32And who's been the standout player for them?

02:34Obviously, John Duran again scoring from the bench.

02:38An amazing night for him.

02:40Who's been the standout player in terms of Villa's campaign so far?

02:44Well, Duran rightfully gets the headlines.

02:46Coming off the bench and scoring pretty much every single time.

02:49And they're not just tap-ins.

02:50They're wonder goals from outside the area.

02:52That lob against Neuer.

02:54Just the pure technique, the audacity, the confidence that he shows.

02:57What a player he is.

02:59But Emiliano Martinez in goal.

03:01Having that basis and that confidence from the back.

03:04Against Bayern Munich, stood out.

03:06I gave him a 10 out of 10 in my player ratings.

03:08I don't even think that's over the top.

03:10He was sublime.

03:11Point-blank rage saves from Harry Kane and Serge Gnabry.

03:14In other games this season, he's been one of their star men as well.

03:17So, just having him between the sticks.

03:19People say he's the world's best.

03:21And I don't think many would argue with that at the moment.

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