Aston Villa secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig on Tuesday in a Champions League match marked by a mix of thrilling moments and errors, including a rare mistake from goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. The win leaves Villa with 13 points from six games, temporarily placing them third in their group. With one more win, they could secure a spot in the top eight, which guarantees an automatic place in the round of 16. Meanwhile, Leipzig, with zero points, is unable to advance past the group stage.
Villa captain John McGinn was pleased with the team’s performance, praising the substitutes who made a significant impact. “I thought general we were the better team and we could have scored more,” McGinn told Amazon Prime. “We dealt with their problems well and what we needed today was substitutes to come on and make a difference.” He expressed excitement about being in the top three, acknowledging the importance of staying focused.
The match began with an early goal from McGinn in the third minute, following a header from Ollie Watkins that McGinn fired past Leipzig’s goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi. However, Villa’s lead was short-lived, as Leipzig equalized in the 27th minute. Martínez made an unusual error, venturing too far out of his goal and misjudging the bounce of the ball, allowing Loïs Openda to score.
Villa’s substitutes made the difference in the second half, with Jhon Durán, who has now scored six goals off the bench this season, putting Villa back in the lead in the 52nd minute with a stunning 30-meter strike. Durán was denied a second goal shortly after due to an offside in the buildup. Reflecting on his contribution, Durán said, “I am just happy to be here and love the competition with Ollie Watkins.”
Leipzig responded with a volley from Christoph Baumgartner to level the score in the 65th minute, but in the 85th minute, Ross Barkley sealed the win for Villa with a fortuitous shot that deflected off Leipzig’s Lukas Klostermann into the net. Villa now heads into their final two group-stage matches—against Monaco on January 21 and Celtic on January 29—needing just a few more points to confirm their spot in the knockout rounds.
