Aston Villa produced a remarkable 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig on Tuesday night in the Champions League, securing three vital points in an intense and dramatic match.
RB Leipzig, led by Marco Rose, came into this match with a string of losses, despite being placed in Pot 1 when the revamped Champions League format was introduced. The German side’s struggles were evident throughout the game, and although Aston Villa fully deserved their win, they certainly didn’t make things easy for themselves.
The game began with a bang as Aston Villa’s John McGinn opened the scoring just three minutes into the match. Villa looked sharp and were clearly in control during the opening exchanges, dictating the tempo of the game. However, disaster struck soon after.
A long ball over the top, which should have been dealt with easily by the Villa defense, caused confusion. Despite goalkeeper Emi Martinez rushing off his line to intercept, he failed to make contact with the ball. This allowed Leipzig’s Lois Openda to tap the ball into an empty net, bringing the score level.
In response, Villa manager Unai Emery made a key substitution at halftime, replacing Ollie Watkins with Jhon Duran. The change paid off almost immediately, as Duran scored a brilliant goal, putting Villa back in front. But Leipzig responded once more, managing to equalize and make it 2-2.
As the game entered its final stages, Villa were fortunate to get a deflected goal from Ross Barkley, which ultimately proved to be the match-winner. His strike sealed the points for Villa and strengthened their chances of securing a top-eight finish in the Champions League.
Despite the victory, Villa’s defensive vulnerabilities were once again highlighted. The team has only kept two clean sheets in the Premier League this season, and their struggles at the back were evident in Leipzig’s equalizer. Villa’s defenders and goalkeeper have been making too many mistakes, allowing easy goals to slip through.
During the match, Alan Shearer was quick to praise Villa for their comfortable performance, but just moments before Leipzig’s equalizer, he was forced to change his tune. Speaking to BBC Sport, he expressed his frustration with Villa’s defensive lapse, particularly Emi Martinez’s role in Leipzig’s goal.
Shearer described Martinez’s decision to rush off his line as an “awful error” that nearly cost Villa dearly, though they ultimately managed to recover and win. “I spoke too soon saying they were comfortable,” Shearer admitted. “What are they doing? Martinez comes out of his box and thinks the bounce will come to him but it never does. Awful error.”
Former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson also weighed in on Martinez’s actions. While Robinson acknowledged the goalkeeper’s world-class abilities, he criticized the decision to rush out of the box. Speaking on BBC Sport, Robinson explained, “Emi Martinez is a world-class goalkeeper, but he gets that completely wrong. He stands at the edge of the box, comes out, and then hesitates. In the moment of indecision, he and Pau Torres are caught out, and Openda seizes the opportunity.”
Martinez had been the hero for Villa in their previous Champions League match against Juventus, making an incredible save to preserve their lead, but his performance against Leipzig raised concerns. His hesitation allowed Leipzig to score, though Villa’s attacking strength ultimately saw them over the line.
In the end, while Villa showed resilience to secure the win, their defensive lapses are likely to be a concern moving forward in the competition. With tougher tests ahead, the team will need to address these issues if they are to maintain their strong Champions League campaign. However, for now, they can take pride in a hard-fought victory that takes them closer to their goal of securing a top-eight finish.