Barcelona 3-0 Aston Villa: Report, result and goals as Catalans end Emery’s perfect Champions League record

UEFA Champions League,
League Stage – 4

Barcelona
BAR

3
–

0

Full Time

Aston Villa
AST

Spotify Camp Nou

Davide Massa

Lamine Yamal 7′
Raphael Dias Belloli 52′
Raphael Dias Belloli 64′

Lamine Yamal became the highest-scoring teenager in Champions League history as Barcelona maintained their impressive European form with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Camp Nou.

The 19-year-old capitalised on a dreadful defensive mistake to open the scoring after just seven minutes, before Raphinha struck twice in the second half to put the game beyond Unai Emery’s side.

Villa created several opportunities to get themselves back into the contest but failed to make the most of them, while Barcelona punished their opponents with a clinical attacking display.

Yamal punishes Villa mistake to make history

Barcelona dominated possession from the opening exchanges, although Villa showed early signs that they could cause problems on the counter-attack.

The hosts needed just seven minutes to take the lead, with Yamal becoming the highest-scoring teenager in Champions League history after registering his 14th goal in the competition.

Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and midfielder Joao Gomes attempted to play out from the back, but the latter inexplicably passed the ball across his own penalty area.

Yamal was quick to react, collecting possession before skipping past his marker and calmly finding the bottom corner with his left foot.

Villa responded positively and almost equalised immediately, with Matty Cash and Gomes both seeing close-range efforts blocked inside the Barcelona penalty area.

However, Yamal continued to cause problems for the visitors, particularly Ian Maatsen, who was booked in the 11th minute after bringing down the winger.

The Barcelona youngster then beat Maatsen again before forcing Suzuki into a save from a tight angle.

Despite the hosts controlling possession, Villa continued to exploit the space behind Barcelona’s high defensive line.

Nicolas Jackson broke into the penalty area in the 19th minute and picked out Johan Manzambi with a cut-back, but the midfielder failed to hit the target from a promising position.

Jackson was then denied by Garcia, who raced off his line to prevent the striker from getting a shot away.

Barcelona almost doubled their advantage when Suzuki made another mistake while attempting to play out from the back.

The goalkeeper gifted possession to Pedri, allowing Anthony Gordon to fire towards goal from close range, but Suzuki recovered to produce an excellent save.

Villa continued to threaten, with Manzambi forcing Garcia into another stop after escaping Pau Cubarsi and unleashing a powerful left-footed strike.

Raphinha also had an opportunity to extend Barcelona’s lead after dispossessing Pau Torres, but the Villa defender recovered brilliantly to block his effort.

There was controversy shortly before half-time when Jackson caught Cubarsi on the shin with a late challenge.

VAR reviewed the incident for a potential red card, but the referee’s original decision to show the Villa striker a yellow card was upheld.

Raphinha double puts Barcelona out of sight

Yamal continued to trouble the Villa defence in the second half, but it was Raphinha who doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 52nd minute.

Fermin Lopez found the Brazilian with a clever throughball on the edge of the penalty area, allowing the Barcelona captain to take two quick touches past Torres.

Raphinha then squeezed a left-footed finish beyond Suzuki and into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.

It was his 18th goal of an outstanding start to the season, and Villa now faced a difficult task to recover.

The visitors appealed for a penalty shortly afterwards when Emiliano Buendia went down under a challenge from Brian Farinas, but the referee waved play on.

Barcelona almost added a third when Joao Cancelo drove forward and unleashed a powerful effort that flew narrowly over the crossbar.

Emery responded by introducing Ross Barkley, Leon Goretzka and Ibrahim Mbaye in an attempt to revive Villa’s hopes.

However, the hosts effectively settled the contest in the 64th minute when Raphinha grabbed his second goal of the evening.

Cancelo surged down the left flank and delivered an excellent low cross into the six-yard box, where Raphinha arrived to guide the ball past Suzuki from close range.

The goal took the Brazilian’s tally to 19 in just 13 appearances this season, underlining his remarkable form under Flick.

Villa almost pulled a goal back in the 69th minute when Goretzka met a cross from the left and directed a header towards goal, but the ball clipped the outside of the post.

Tammy Abraham headed wide following a cross from Maatsen, while Gordon fired over from the edge of the penalty area.

Yamal came close to adding his second goal in the closing stages, dragging a low effort narrowly wide after Villa lost possession deep inside their own half.

The teenager then forced Suzuki into a superb fingertip save after bursting into the penalty area and unleashing a powerful angled strike.

Ross Barkley wasted a late opportunity for Villa when he fired over from the edge of the box following Goretzka’s pass.

The UEFA Champions League Table

Upcoming fixtures for Barcelona and Aston Villa

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