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Asensio Stars Again As Villa Beat Brugge To Book PSG Showdown

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Marco Asensio starred as Aston Villa beat 10-man Club Brugge 3-0 on Wednesday to book a Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Asensio came off the bench to strike twice in the second half of the last-16 second leg at Villa Park.

The in-form Spanish forward has netted seven times since joining on loan from PSG in the January transfer window and is set for a reunion with his parent club in the last eight.

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Brugge had Kyriani Sabbe sent off for a professional foul on Marcus Rashford early in the first half and Asensio ensured Villa eventually took advantage.

Ian Maatsen scored in between Asensio’s brace as Unai Emery’s side romped to a 6-1 aggregate victory.

READ ALSO: Transfers: Villa Close In On Rashford Loan, West Ham Push For Ferguson

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With Prince William, a noted Villa fan, celebrating in the stands, the Premier League outfit are through to the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in 42 years.

Their exit against Juventus at that stage in 1982-83 was Villa’s last appearance in the European Cup — the forerunner to the Champions League — until this season.

Emery’s men are the first team to reach the Champions League quarter-finals in their debut season in the competition since Atalanta in 2019-20.

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Wins against Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Celtic are among the Champions League highlights for Emery’s men this term.

PSG are next in their sights after the Ligue 1 leaders’ penalty shoot-out win at Liverpool on Tuesday.

READ ALSO: Darkness Hits Presidential Villa As Vandals Steal TCN Cable

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Facing PSG in April will have extra meaning for Emery, who spent two turbulent seasons in charge at PSG, winning the French title in 2018 but struggling in the Champions League.

It is only the second time Emery has made it past the Champions League last 16 after he took Villarreal to the semi-finals in 2022.

A repeat of their famous European Cup-winning campaign in 1982 might prove beyond Villa, but they have created memories of lifetime in their fairytale run this season.

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– Songs of praise –
As fireworks crackled over Villa Park before kick-off, fans in the Holte End unfurled a huge flag emblazoned with the motto “Prepared”.

It was a message their team initially seemed to ignore.

Brugge captain Hans Vanaken glanced a header just wide of the far post in a confident start from the visitors.

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READ ALSO: Fear As Bandits Launch Fresh Attack On Sokoto Village

Raphael Onyedika’s goal-bound was blocked by Villa defender Ezri Konsa, a chance that provoked anxious groans from fretting fans.

Villa lost 1-0 at Brugge in the league phase and needed two goals in the final eight minutes to take control in the last-16 first leg.

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But Brugge had never won in England in 14 trips and those nervous Villa supporters need not have worried as the tension was lifted in an instant by Rashford’s blistering pace.

Accelerating onto Emiliano Martinez’s long punt in the 17th minute, Rashford was hauled down by Sabbe on the edge of the area, with the Brugge defender dismissed for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

From the free-kick, Youri Tielemans’ drive forced Simon Mignolet to make a sprawling save low to his right.

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READ ALSO: Gunmen Impose ‘N172m Levy’ On Zamfara Villages As Residents Flee

Emery made an inspired double substitution at the interval, sending on Asensio and Leon Bailey in a move that paid immediate dividends.

The pair combined to break the deadlock in the 50th minute as Bailey’s pass reached Asensio inside the Brugge area and he swivelled to finish with aplomb.

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Asensio should have scored again moments later, but the 29-year-old’s shot cannoned back off the post.

With Villa fans singing songs of praise to Emery, Maatsen doubled the lead in the 57th minute.

Morgan Rogers’ nimble footwork worked space for a cross to Maatsen, whose close-range effort deflected past Mignolet.

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Asensio wrapped up another memorable European night for Villa four minutes later, meeting Rashford’s low cross with a clinical finish from six yards.

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PSG To Play First Intercontinental Cup Final In December

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European Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will play their first-ever Intercontinental Cup final in Doha, Qatar, on December 17, FIFA announced on Sunday.

Their opponents will only be determined four days earlier in the final playoff, called the Challenger Cup.

This will pit Egyptian club Pyramids, the African champions, against the winner of the match between Central American champions Cruz Azul from Mexico and the future winner of the Copa Libertadores.

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READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

The South American tournament is currently in the semi-final stage and includes two Brazilian sides.

Palmeiras are up against LDU Quito of Ecuador, while Flamengo take on the Argentinian side Racing.

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The Copa Libertadores final takes place on November 29.

READ ALSO:Ligue 1: PSG Captain Marquinhos Out With Thigh Injury

From 1960 to 2004, the Intercontinental Cup pitted the champions of Europe and South America against each other.

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In 2005, it was renamed the Club World Cup to include other continental champions, but that competition was relaunched this year as a quadrennial tournament featuring 32 teams, with Chelsea as the inaugural winners of the new format.

The Intercontinental Cup was relaunched in its new form last year when Real Madrid beat Mexican club Pachuca.

AFP

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La Liga: Barca Beat Real Sociedad 2-1 As Yamal Returns

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Lamine Yamal returned from injury to help Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 2-1 on Sunday and move to the top of La Liga by one point.

After Real Madrid were thrashed 5-2 by rivals Atletico Madrid in a derby on Saturday, Hansi Flick’s side had the chance to claim pole position above Xabi Alonso’s side.

Alvaro Odriozola gave Real Sociedad the lead against the run of play in the first half, but Jules Kounde headed the Spanish champions level.

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Yamal, who missed the last four games with a groin injury, created the winner for Robert Lewandowski just moments after coming on as a second-half substitute.

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Barcelona held the game at the Olympic Stadium, where they have played for the last two seasons, after the city council refused them a permit to reopen their Camp Nou home earlier in the week.

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Flick handed 17-year-old attacking midfielder Dro Fernandez his debut, also starting Roony Bardghji on the right wing and bringing in veteran Wojciech Szczesny for injured goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Barcelona dominated the ball in the first half but found it hard to beat Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro.

The Spain international made a fine save to deny Marcus Rashford in the early stages.

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READ ALSO:LaLiga: Mourinho Speaks On Replacing Ancelotti At Real Madrid

On loan from Manchester United, Rashford is finding his footing at Barca and played a superb through ball for Robert Lewandowski, who fired across the face of goal from a tight angle.

Real Sociedad hit Barca with a sharp counter-attack to open the scoring after 31 minutes.

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Former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Odriozola applied the finishing touch to Ander Barrenetxea’s cross.

Barcelona stepped up a gear and found Remiro in their way again, with the goalkeeper superbly palming away a Kounde cross which was deflected towards his goal.

Remiro also tipped a Bardghji effort away for a corner, which led to Barcelona’s equaliser.

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READ ALSO:EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle

Rashford, who provided an assist from a corner against Real Oviedo in midweek, whipped it to the near post, where Kounde powered home a header.

Yamal’s return

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Flick replaced Dro with Dani Olmo at half-time and also brought on Yamal before the hour mark, after the teenager recovered from his groin issue.

Voted second best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or gala on Monday, Yamal made an instant impact.

The 18-year-old burst into the box and crossed for Lewandowski to head home off the post, just over a minute after his introduction.

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READ ALSO:LaLiga: Real Madrid Miss Chance To Go Top After Villarreal Defeat

Szczesny made a good save from Oyarzabal as La Real gave Barcelona a couple of scares, while Remiro denied Rashford and Olmo with two more good saves.

The game grew increasingly chaotic, and both sides hit the crossbar in quick succession.

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Kounde, daydreaming in midfield, was robbed and Real Sociedad worked the ball to Takefusa Kubo, who crashed a shot against the woodwork.

Then Barcelona broke away and Ferran Torres teed up Lewandowski, who battered the crossbar when well placed to put the game to bed, but the hosts were not punished.

Barcelona host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, also at the Olympic Stadium.

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EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle

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Arsenal staged a late comeback to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time header from Gabriel Magalhães at St James’ Park, on Sunday.

The game looked to be slipping away from the visitors after Nick Woltemade scored one for Newcastle in the 34th minute.

Arsenal had dominated the opening half but failed to find the net despite good chances from Eberechi Eze and Leandro Trossard.

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READ ALSO:Theo Walcott Changes EPL Prediction, Names Team To Win UCL This Season

The London club were left frustrated when a penalty awarded for a foul on Viktor Gyökeres was overturned following a VAR review.

Newcastle had weathered the storm with the help of goalkeeper Nick Pope.

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Mikel Merino rose to nod home from close range in the 84th minute to level, setting up a frantic finish.

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Arsenal pushed with everything they had and were ultimately rewarded deep in stoppage time when Martin Ødegaard’s corner found Gabriel, who rose highest to head the winner in the sixth minute of added time.

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Arsenal’s late victory will feel like a statement of character for Mikel Arteta’s side, who move on with a precious away win after dominating long spells of the match but having to fight until the final whistle to secure the three points.

Newcastle will take encouragement from a dogged defensive display.

Arsenal now have four wins, one draw, and one loss in six Premier League games. They sit in the second position on the table, while Newcastle is in 15th.

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