THERE are far less stressful ways to finally get your season going.
But if you had offered Unai Emery three goals, three points and the first win of his new Aston Villa chapter – he would have snapped your hand off, regardless of how it came about.
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What should have been straightforward at one point turned into a struggle, but all that would have mattered as Villa made the short hop back to Birmingham was that winless run would not stretch as it did last season.
It was a win in Europe, over Bologna, last season which set Villa on course for a historic season after a shabby start almost a year ago and once again they appear to have found form on the continent.
Villa had failed to score, and managed just a single shot on target, since the Uefa Super Cup in Salzburg before this.
But from the off they were a threat, Buendia putting one just wide inside two minutes, he, John McGinn and Nicolas Jackson all bagged first half goals.
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A fightback after the break from Club Brugge, capped with a strike from the spot, threatened to undo all their work, but Villa hunkered down, hung on and survived.
On a wretched evening, battered by whipping winds and driving rain, Unai Emery’s men found an attacking spark to bring a smile to the travelling fans, without a roof for shelter in the corner.
Villa’s supporters would have known what to expect, this being a third visit in just two seasons to this rather ugly lump of concrete on the edge of a housing estate, a world away from the quaint cobbled streets of central Bruges.
Emery called for his new-look side to rise to the challenge of their Champions League return.
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Tuesday 8 September
AEK Athens
1 – 0
League Stage
LASK
Club Brugge
2 – 3
League Stage
Villa
Real Madrid
20:00
Live Teams
Inter
Lille
20:00
Live Teams
Betis
Dortmund
20:00
Live Teams
Villarreal
Porto
20:00
Live Teams
Man City
Tuesday 8 September
Club Brugge
2 – 3
League Stage
Villa
AEK Athens
1 – 0
League Stage
LASK
Wednesday 26 August
Lyon
1 – 2
AGG 2 – 3
Fenerbahçe
Celje
1 – 2
AGG 2 – 3
Slovan
Viking
3 – 1
AGG 5 – 3
Dinamo Zagreb
AEK Athens
4 – 0
AGG 4 – 0
Levski
UEFA Champions League
Pld
Pts
GD
W
D
L
Form
1
1
3
1
1
0
0
2
AEK Athens
1
3
1
1
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
Bodø/Glimt
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
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While Brugge, the Belgian champions, are far from the most fearsome side they will face in Europe this year, the Europa League winners puffed their chests out to come out on top of a frantic clash. Though Emery will know that some sloppy stuff at the back will soon be seriously punished if it is not fixed.
For all the new faces, it was Villa’s Mr Reliable, McGinn, who got them rolling. Not long after Buendia’s early chance, the skipper guided a skidding effort into the far corner after a driving run, from deep in his own half, by Pau Torres to tee him up.
Villa should have been out of sight within minutes, teenager George Hemmings first seeing one effort stopped and then prodding another wide. Both should probably have found the back of the net, certainly at least one of them.
Hemmings has bags of potential and a huge opportunity to establish himself in Emery’s side, but is as raw as you would expect a 19-year-old to be. Refine his finishing and decision making and Villa will have a dangerous prospect to rely on.
Having passed up those two chances, Brugge struck level to worry those watching from behind Zion Suzuki’s goal.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, making his first start with Matty Cash absent, could not stop Jan Virgili teeing up Hugo Vetlesen to sweep home first time.
Buendia spoke ahead of the Champions League opener about being the man to carry the old squad’s winning mentality on into this new chapter – and the hero from Istanbul had them back on track within three minutes – capping a glorious move.
New man Jackson, impressive throughout, played in Joao Gomes with a crafty backheel. Gomes moved in behind, chopped back to beat his man and squared for Buendia, whose run was timed to perfection to sneak ahead of Brandon Mechele and tap in.
Jackson had been a constant danger in the first half. He had threatened to get in behind alone once before but the ball into him was just too short.
The second time around, Torres made no mistake, lumping it forwards after a Brugge attack had been cut short.
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Yann Sommer raced out to meet it, but was just beaten by Jackson’s thigh, setting the Senegalese clear to tap in for his first Villa goal.
Despite being away from home, it felt as if that should have been that for Emery’s men.
But they sat deep after the break, and Brugge had renewed confidence.
Villa looked content to manage the pressure, until Wan-Bissaka’s handball handed their hosts the initiative.
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It was, somehow, missed first of all, the right-backs arm outstretched next to his head to stop Joaquin Seys’ cross, but corrected after a trip to consult VAR. Nicolo Tresoldi sent Suzuki the wrong way from the spot to put the frighteners on Villa.
Emery sent on fresh legs to pick up the energy. Jackson nearly restored the two goal cushion and Lamare Bogarde saw a strike cleared off the line, but even without a fourth goal the visitors clung on amid a flurry of late crosses.