New York : Aston Villa launched their Champions League campaign with a thrilling 3-2 away victory over Club Brugge after a standout performance from Pau Torres, while AEK Athens also beat LASK 1-0.
John McGinn celebrates scoring Aston Villa's first goal with Pau Torres during the UEFA Champions League match against Club Brugge at Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium, on Tuesday.
Aston Villa defeated Club Brugge 3-2 in their Champions League opening match. Pau Torres delivered two crucial assists for Aston Villa's goals. John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia, and Nicolas Jackson scored for Villa.
AEK Athens also began their campaign with a 1-0 win against LASK. Razvan Marin scored the decisive goal for AEK Athens with a free-kick.
Aston Villa survived a second-half surge from Club Brugge to open their Champions League campaign with a 3-2 away win, with Pau Torres providing two assists for Unai Emery's side.
In Belgium, Torres set up John McGinn to put Villa ahead in the 11th minute, but Hugo Vetlesen equalised for the hosts eight minutes later.
Hugo Vetlesen celebrates scoring Club Brugge's first goal.
Villa responded swiftly, with Emiliano Buendia restoring their lead from a Joao Gomes assist before Nicolas Jackson made it 3-1 just before half-time, Torres again supplying the final pass.
Brugge dominated after the break and Nicolo Tresoldi pulled a goal back with a penalty in the 61st minute, but Villa protected their advantage to secure all three points.
Razvan Marin celebrates scoring AEK Athens's first goal during the Champions League match against LASK, at AEK Arena, Athens, Greece.
AEK Athens also made a winning start, beating Austrian side LASK 1-0 in Greece thanks to Romanian midfielder Razvan Marin's curling free kick midway through the first half.
Marin provided the decisive moment for AEK in the 21st minute, curling a free kick from outside the penalty area on the left-hand side into the top corner beyond the goalkeeper's reach.
