BIRMINGHAM: Bayern Munich had not lost a Champions League group game since 2017 until a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Wednesday that hinted at a new era of European glory for the English side. Villa relived the club’s greatest ever night, when they beat Bayern to lift the European Cup in 1982, in their first home match at the continent’s elite level for 41 years.

The Birmingham club’s fortunes have been transformed in less than two years since Unai Emery took charge, catapulting Villa from battling relegation at the bottom of the Premier League to finishing in the top four last season. Now two games into their first ever experience since the European Cup was rebranded to the Champions League, they are one of just seven sides with maximum points.

Bayern’s previous group stage defeat, 41 games ago, also came at the hands of Emery when in charge of Paris Saint-Germain. The Spaniard’s time in France and as Arsene Wenger’s successor at Arsenal did not end well. However, he has a track record of lifting up European football’s middleweights to trade blows with the continent’s giants.

Emery won three consecutive Europa Leagues at Sevilla and lifted the competition for a fourth time with Villarreal in 2021 to deliver the club’s first ever major trophy. The next season Villarreal reached the Champions League semi-finals, knocking out Juventus and Bayern along the way. Villa are now reaping the rewards of Emery’s shrewd tactical mind and ability to polish rough diamonds.

‘Moving forward’

Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham were among the sides with bigger budgets that were beaten into fourth place by Villa in the Premier League last season. In doing so, Emery’s men beat both title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal 1-0 at Villa Park in December and repeated that trick against a Bayern team that arrived in England in free-scoring form. Bayern were stifled by Villa’s organization and hit with the sucker punch by super sub Jhon Duran.

The Colombian lobbed Manuel Neuer 11 minutes from time to score his fifth goal this season after coming off the bench. Emi Martinez was then needed to make two huge saves in the dying moments as a Bayern side that had averaged over four goals a game since Vincent Kompany took charge were shut out.

"It’s a statement but there are still a lot of games to play. We want to qualify in the top eight,” said Argentina’s World Cup winner Martinez. "This is the loudest Villa Park that I’ve heard since I joined the club, that’s for sure.

"It’s a club that is moving forward. I love playing here, I love the fans. This is a win for them.” Emery’s gameplan even won the seal of royal approval. He was afforded an audience with Villa fan Prince William, who was among the more than 40,000 crowd celebrating a famous night.

"I told him the best moment we can pass is days like today,” said Emery of his meeting with Britain’s future king. "I don’t know where (Villa can go) but we are going to try to enjoy the way. Today we (will) remember how we played, who we played and the Champions League final from 42 years ago. It was a special day.”

Forward Morgan Rogers was playing in the Championship earlier this year for Middlesbrough, but is another who Emery has moulded into a player now taking the Champions League in his stride. "It’s a pinch me moment,” Rogers said of his meteoric rise. "We’re not here to just compete, we’re here to try and win games.” — AFP

In 1982 Bayern legends Paul Breitner and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were among those stunned by Villa’s upstarts in Rotterdam. Over four decades on, the German giants were left to lick their wounds again on a night that will be long remembered in the Midlands. — AFP