Three consecutive wins, no goals allowed, and sitting at the top of the league with maximum points.
Aston Villa’s first-ever Champions League experience couldn’t be going any better.
Their 2-0 victory at home against Bologna on Tuesday kept their perfect start in this European campaign, the first for the English team since 1983—when it was known as the European Cup, which Villa won in 1982.
“What we are building here is amazing,” said Villa captain John McGinn, one of the scorers against Bologna at a lively Villa Park.
Villa kicked off the tournament with a 3-0 win over Swiss team Young Boys and followed it up with a 1-0 victory against German powerhouse Bayern Munich in their first home match of the new competition format.
As they reach the halfway point of the third round of league games, Villa is in first place, and no other team has nine points.
“We are playing seriously, we are playing focused, responsible, and the team is progressing and maturing in everything,” said Villa manager Unai Emery, who took over two years ago when the team was just above the relegation zone.
A key player this season has been Jhon Duran, the 20-year-old Colombian international who is having a breakout year at Villa.
Duran got a rare start against Bologna ahead of regular striker Ollie Watkins and was about to be substituted when he scored with a volley in the 64th minute from a cross by Morgan Rogers.
Watkins was waiting to come on and was seen applauding Duran’s goal, which brought Duran’s total to seven for the season in 12 games—most of them as a substitute. One of his goals was a memorable long-range winner against Bayern.
“When he was watching that I was thinking of changing him, he accelerated and scored a goal,” Emery said with a laugh. “It was fantastic. He was asking for more (time) because he was thinking he could score more goals.”
Duran was not pleased about being taken off right after scoring. He angrily punched a seat in the dugout and went down the tunnel soon after. However, he returned at the end of the match to join in the team’s celebrations.
