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Aston Villa host Bayern Munich at Villa Park on Wednesday evening in the second round of fixtures in the 2024/25 Champions League.
The match is another showdown thrown together by the competition’s new league phase format, and Villa come into it having retained much of their from from last season.
Unai Emery’s side are fifth in the Premier League on 13 points, just two behind leaders Liverpool, though they missed the chance to go top of the league last weekend as they drew 2-2 to Ipswich.
As 3-0 win away at BSC Young Boys was a solid start to the European campaign for Villa, but it was bettered by some distance by Bayern’s win in their opener, as the Bavarians beat Dinamo Zagreb 9-2.
And the German champions will provide perhaps the toughest test of the season so far to Unai Emery’s budding Villa side.
Follow all the latest build-up, team news and score updates below, as well as the reaction to the evening’s other Champions League matches:
Aston Villa 0-0 Bayern Munich
Richard Jolly at Villa Park:
Raucous occasion at Villa Park: Hi Ho Aston Villa has rarely been louder, but a bunch of bouncing Bavarians in the corner are also contributing to the atmosphere. It’s a reminder what Champions League football means to a club like Villa, who have been starved of it.
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 20:17
Villa briefly think they’re in but Neuer comes rushing miles off his line to clear. Bayern continue to dominate possession without necessarily threatening.
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 20:16
Aston Villa 0-0 Bayern Munich
It’s been a very confident start from Bayern, who are dominating possession in the early stages. Villa still look fairly okay though.
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 20:12
Aston Villa 0-0 Bayern Munich
Coman’s through ball is cut out by Konsa, but a poor back-pas from Onana hands Bayern a corner. Luckily for the former Everton man, nothing comes of it originally.
However, moments later we have the first chance of the evening as an early cross is played into Kane, who looks to have beaten the offside trap, but the England striker can only head into the ground and straight at Martinez’s feet!
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 20:10
All Bayern in the opening stages as Kimmich hits a tame shot on target from outside the box.
Villa have played some nice touches in midfield early on, but Watkins is too isolated when they do try and get it to him.
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 20:07
Aston Villa 0-0 Bayern Munich
Villa certainly aren’t in a rush to press Bayern in the opening stages. The away side win a corner and Olise’s delivery is cleared, though when Villa do get it back they can only manage to boot it away.
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 20:05
KICK-OFF! Aston Villa 0-0 Bayern Munich
The away side get us underway at Villa Park!
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 20:02
Aston Villa vs Bayern Munich LIVE
The two teams are emerging from the tunnel now, and we’ll be hearing the Champions League anthem for the first time at Villa Park in just a few moments.
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 19:55
What Emery has said
Villa manager Unai Emery said yesterday that today’s game pits them against “one of the best teams in the world” in Bayern Munich.
The Spaniard said his team are “motivated” and “excited” to be back in the Champions League.
“We are coming back to Europe last year, Europe is something very important but very difficult. They are favourites tomorrow but we are at home.
“The most important thing is to be consistent in the season and the Premier League is the first objective.
“Tomorrow we are playing a special, special match for everybody but I am preparing the match the same as I did on Sunday against Ipswich.”
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 19:50
Bayern match stats
Bayern have only lost one of their last 10 Champions League meetings with English sides, winning seven and drawing two. Their last loss was a 0-3 defeat to Manchester City in the 2022/23 quarter-final first leg.
The German side won 9-2 versus Dinamo Zagreb in their opening game of the 2024/25 Champions League, but are winless in their last three away matches in the competition (D1 L2). They last had a longer winless run on the road between February and September 2016 (D2 L2), spanning the spells of Pep Guardiola (3) and Carlo Ancelotti (1).
Bayern registered 19 shots on target in their victory over Dinamo Zagreb; the most by a team in a single UEFA Champions League match on record (since 2003/04).
Harry Kane has been directly involved in seven goals in six career appearances against Aston Villa at Villa Park (five goals, two assists). He’s scored the game-winning goal at Villa Park on two previous occasions.
Jamal Musiala created more chances than any other player in the first round of this season’s Champions League – seven, with all of them in open play.
Chris Wilson2 October 2024 19:45