Aston Villa celebrated a significant achievement by defeating Bayern Munich and securing their place in the Champions League alongside PSG; under the guidance of Unai Emery, Villa strategically aimed for Bayern’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who played a key role in their success. Jhon Durán’s late goal sealed the victory, reminiscent of Villa’s historic triumph in the 1982 European Cup final against the same team. This win highlights Villa’s potential and emphasizes their readiness to compete with Europe’s elite clubs.
Aston Villa Joins PSG in Champions League After Win
UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 has wrapped up, featuring a standout performance from Aston Villa, which triumphed over Bayern Munich. This result is notable, as highlighted by one outlet after the match.
The only goal was scored late in the second half in a closely fought contest. Colombian star Jhon Duran netted in the 79th minute, securing a 1-0 lead and the win for the home team.
Bayern Munich’s losses in the group stage and now in the league phase are uncommon. LiveScore pointed out on X that their last defeat at this stage was in 2017, against Paris Saint-Germain, whom Unai Emery then coached.

PSG should analyze the game footage to understand how Emery stifled Bayern Munich’s attack. The Parisians will visit Allianz Arena on November 26 to face the Bundesliga team.
Following a disappointing display against Arsenal on Tuesday night, PSG will have another opportunity to prove they can compete with top clubs away from home.
Emery: Villa Aimed for Neuer in Win Against Bayern
Unai Emery mentioned that Aston Villa aimed for Manuel Neuer’s sweeper-keeper style after Jhon Durán lobbed the Bayern Munich goalkeeper for a memorable Champions League win.
Durán, who came on as a substitute for Ollie Watkins, netted a brilliant late winner, securing a 1-0 victory over the six-time champions. This mirrored their 1982 European Cup final success against the same team in Rotterdam.
Emiliano Martínez, who made a brilliant save in stoppage time to stop Harry Kane from scoring an equalizer, revealed that manager Unai Emery showed the players several clips of Bayern’s captain positioning himself high on the pitch.
“In the analysis we did of them [Bayern], we were aware, we were speaking a lot about how the position of Neuer is usually always high,” the Villa manager confirmed. “I knew how he [Durán] would shoot because he had in his mind this possibility with Neuer.”

Martínez praised Durán, a standout substitute who has netted five goals from the bench this season, including decisive strikes against West Ham, Everton, and Leicester. The Villa goalkeeper noted that Durán returned with a new mindset this season, showing a solid work ethic and challenging Ollie. He emphasized their potential to play together, calling Durán a fantastic substitute, highlighting that his first touch resulted in a lob over Neuer, one of the greatest goalkeepers in history.
The Villa forward Morgan Rogers added of Durán: “When I came to the club, I didn’t have a clue he was 20. The way he plays, he’s such a handful for defenders when he comes on with all that energy. He knows he’ll get that chance and backs himself 100%. Every game is exactly the same; he’s the most chilled, relaxed person I’ve ever met. He’s a different animal when he’s playing.”
Vincent Kompany, the Bayern manager, explained that Jamal Musiala did not start the match due to an issue he reported after last Sunday’s draw with Bayer Leverkusen. He acknowledged, “We had great chances, but we couldn’t score a goal, that is football,” Kompany said. “It is bitter to take, but of course, it [defeat] won’t be decisive for the outcome of our Champions League. We just have to continue working to ensure we are successful.”
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