Champions League

IT was a night of nights in early October when Villa Park welcomed back elite European football after a hiatus of four decades.To be there at one of English football’s grandest, most historic and atmospheric stadiums as Bayern Munich were vanquished in a Champions League group match was a rare privilege.Aston Villa are an English side every neutral fan can get behindCredit: RexUnai Emery has brought big nights back to Villa ParkCredit: GettyIn the 79th minute Jhon Duran lobbed Manuel Neuer from 25 yards.The concrete beneath my feet throbbed. My eardrums threatened to burst. And despite having no affinity with Aston Villa, I yelled out a joyous: “F*** me!”In the mixed-zone interview area afterwards, the defeated captain of England, Harry Kane, praised Villa to the heavens, and the future king of England, Prince William, told us he’d cheered his team so loudly that he’d lost his voice.I left the ground feeling delighted for Villa’s supporters. Which is strange because, usually, when English clubs play in Champions League football, I couldn’t honestly care less whether they win or lose.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLI don’t think I’m alone in this. The Premier League’s traditional Big Six were difficult to love even before they tried to sell English football down the gurgler by signing up to a breakaway Super League.And Newcastle, with their bottomless Saudi wealth, leave many of us equally cold. But Villa’s European adventure — next stop Paris Saint-Germain’s Parc des Princes in tomorrow’s quarter-final first leg — feels different.It feels like a throwback to decades gone by, when English football fans would genuinely want other English clubs to thrive in Europe.I’m old enough to remember the European Cup triumphs of Bob Paisley’s Liverpool, Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest and Tony Barton’s Villa (right) being savoured nationwide.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSWhen Villa face Qatari-backed PSG in the French capital, most of England — except for the blue half of Birmingham and the Black Country supporters of Wolves and West Brom — will be firmly behind them.And that’s because Villa’s successes under Unai Emery give the supporters of many other clubs something realistic to aspire to.Unai Emery still wants improvement from Aston Villa after Club Brugge victory Just nine years ago, Villa were relegated from the Premier League, rock-bottom with just 17 points after a campaign which brought them more managers (four) than wins (three).Soon, their short-lived Chinese owner, Dr Tony Xia, took the club to the brink of ruin and a cabbage was thrown at Villa boss Steve Bruce during a 3-3 home draw with Preston.When Emery took over from Steven Gerrard just two-and-a-half years ago, Villa were in deep relegation danger but now Bruce’s old vegetable patch is a field of dreams once more.Villa are not a member of the modern elite, with all the spoilt-rotten sense of entitlement that status brings.They are an authentic club, competing at Europe’s top table with underdog status, with a modest net spend, with a likeable, talented manager and with supporters who have followed their club through thick and thin, providing consistently the best atmosphere in the Premier League.Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford have proved shrewd additionsCredit: GettyThe January window brought a stardust injection which had looked risky at the time.The loan signings of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio might have destabilised a team high on collective work ethic but low on Hollywood names.Yet Emery knew that the time was right.Asensio, with eight goals from his last eight appearances, will face his parent club in Paris with a major point to prove, while Rashford has been revitalised and restored to the England team after just a couple of months under Emery’s astute leadership.On Saturday, Emery made eight changes and Villa rode their luck to win a belting game against Forest — their fellow resurgent former European champions.Forest, like Villa, should carry the hopes of neutral English fans into the Champions League next season.And, if both sides win their respective FA Cup semi-finals, we should expect a vintage final.Emery’s men have now won seven straight games in all competitions and the Villa boss heads to his former club PSG with genuine hope of achieving his bold, stated aim of conquering Europe.Luis Enrique’s freshly recrowned champions of France defeated runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool in the previous round and are favourites with most bookies to lift a first European Cup in Munich next month.But Emery — a four-time Europa League winner with Sevilla and Villarreal — is a master of the two-legged tie.And so we should expect Villa to return from Paris with this quarter-final still alive, for another night of nights at Villa Park next Tuesday.At last, an English club in Europe we can all get behind.Ang-ry at VARNOBODY in football calls out the absurdity of VAR with consistent lucidity as Ange Postecoglou.When Tottenham had a goal disallowed at Chelsea on Thursday, the Aussie spoke about the future implementation of ‘AI referees’.And then he added: “My mistake was celebrating a goal, VAR defeated me again. I won’t be doing that again. If that’s what people want, let’s continue. I don’t like it.“I am falling out of love with the game because I love celebrating goals.“I’ll make sure I don’t do it again, but I reckon that’s kind of sad. Isn’t that sad?”When Spurs suffered the same fate in Sunday’s win over Southampton, Ange resorted to ridicule, spending some of a ludicrous six-minute VAR delay by miming the tossing of a coin and a game of ‘rock, paper, scissors’.Postecoglou claims he is a ‘lone voice’ in demanding the scrapping of VAR — but there are hundreds of thousands of match-going fans who make him absolutely right.Ange Postecoglou has been a lone voice in opposing VARCredit: GettyOde to no joyI RECENTLY delved into the murky world of Arsenal social media — forgive me, but my team was playing against them, I couldn’t get to the game and it wasn’t on the telly.And the depth of the criticism, bordering on hatred, being aimed at Martin Odegaard was truly astonishing.Sure, the skipper has dipped significantly after an early-season injury.But here was one of the finest players in the Premier League over the previous two campaigns — his understanding with Bukayo Saka not far off telepathy — being taken apart.Odegaard faces his former club Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter-final and it would gladden the heart if the Norwegian could illuminate the Emirates and shut up those trolls.Hopefully Martin Odegaard can silence silly trollsCredit: GettyDirect actionWHEN Ipswich keeper Alex Palmer avoided a catastrophic error by handling a back-pass, all 11 Tractor Boys stood on the line to defend a Wolves indirect free-kick.After an initial touch, the Ipswich players stormed out and comfortably blocked Emmanuel Agbadou’s effort, as they were always likely to do.So why can’t football’s lawmakers make this a direct free-kick offence instead?End of an era   KEVIN DE BRUYNE was clearly the best player in the most dominant team English domestic football has ever known.And so Pep Guardiola’s ruthless decision to end the Belgian’s Manchester City career at 33 was both impressive on a professional level — and jarring in human terms.Read More on The SunDerby debateANY suggestions that Crystal Palace versus Brighton is ‘not a proper derby’ should have been crushed by the three red cards and explosion of joy at the final whistle as the nine-man Eagles secured a first Premier League double over their fierce rivals.If both clubs care that much, then it’s a proper derby.Crystal Palace vs Brighton saw three red cards at the weekendCredit: Getty More

NEWCASTLE’S season keeps getting better and better.Two early goals from Jacob Murphy set up a victory that puts Eddie Howe’s side in sight of Champions League qualification.Newcastle United put on a first-half masterclass to beat LeicesterCredit: AFPLeicester City extended their run in the league without scoring to over 12 hoursCredit: GettyLeicester fans appeared to leave the stadium in the first halfCredit: GettyAnd Murphy’s second was among the more bizarre goals of the season – as he pounced after Fabian Schar’s incredible 60-yard shot that hit the bar.Three weeks after winning the Carabao Cup with a famous Wembley win over Liverpool, Newcastle are now fifth in the Premier League and looking at a return to Europe’s elite.But Leicester’s shambles of a season is going from bad to worse.With relegation all but certain, the Foxes were beaten by half time when their former winger Harvey Barnes grabbed Toon’s third goal on his first return to the King Power Stadium since leaving for Tyneside in a £39million deal two years ago.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd the Foxes collected an unwanted record along the way.No side in Football League history has ever lost eight home games in a row without scoring a goal.Leicester’s last Premier League goal at home was in December – but they have not found the net at all since winning at Tottenham in January.This was their eighth defeat in a row and the Championship beckons.Most read in FootballJacob Murphy scored a brace for Newcastle on the nightCredit: AFPHis second goal was a gift from a Fabian Schar long-distance effortCredit: ReutersShar hit the crossbar from his own half and Murphy followed in on the reboundCredit: Sky SportsLeicester City’s Mads Hermansen was helplessCredit: GettyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnd to think Steve Cooper was sacked in November when the Foxes were in 16th spot – a decision the King Power top brass that has backfired spectacularly.Once again, there was no place for midfielder Harry Winks who is thought to have fallen out with Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy over his refusal to stay at the club’s training ground for a night instead of making a 100-mile commute.Eddie Howe ‘hungry for more’ silverware as he celebrates Newcastle’s success Leicester managed to produce the first shot of the game in the opening minute when skipper Jamie Vardy forced Nick Pope into a save.But Newcastle’s reaction 60 seconds later provided the platform for what was to come.Barnes supplied Tino Livramento on the left and his pinpoint cross found Murphy at the far postA frustrated Foxes boss Ruud van Nistelpooy was left shaking his head in the technical area – and worse was to come for the Dutchman.Newcastle went two up after 11 minutes as Schar spotted keeper Mads Hermansen off his line and launched a shot on goal from inside his own half.He hit the bar – but no Leicester player was on hand to clear the rebound.It left Murphy with a clear run on goal and he netted his second of the night unchallenged.That brought cries of ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’ from fed-up Foxes fans.Leicester briefly steadied the ship when Bilal El Khannouss took matters into his own hands and forced Pope into another save.Harvey Barnes scored the third for NewcastleCredit: ReutersBut Toon went three up after 35 minutes as Barnes ended any slim hopes his former club had of a comeback.The former Fox started the move from deep inside his own half.He fed Alexander Isak whose shot was blocked. Joelinton picked up the loose ball and when his shot was saved by Hermansen, Barnes scored from close range.Tellingly, he refused to celebrate at the club where he came through the ranks.Then came a moment that summed up Leicester’s season.Patson Daka fired in a shot from 20 yards which beat Pope but hit one post, then the other before falling to a grateful Newcastle goalkeeper.The biggest cheer of the night from the Leicester fans came with 16 minutes left when 15-year-old prodigy Jeremy Monga came on as a substitute.Read More on The SunMonga is tipped for big things. But van Nistelrooy had previously said he would resist calling him into the first team because there are limits on his training time while he is still at school.Newcastle stepped off the gas in the second half as Leicester tried to score that elusive goal at least keep themselves out of the record books.Leicester teenager Jeremy Monga became the Premier League’s second youngest player in history, playing without the Foxes’ betting sponsor due to his age (15)Credit: Reuters More

ENZO MARESCA gambled with Chelsea’s European ambitions – and may well live to regret it.The Blues arrived in west London with the chance to further cement their chances of playing Champions League football next term – their number one priority this term.Chelsea looked toothless as Cole Palmer was named on the bench against BrentfordCredit: PABrentford had the best chances of the game but were unable to make them countCredit: EPAIt left Chelsea’s Champions League hopes on a knife-edgeCredit: RexVictory at mid-table Brentford – the only Prem side without a home clean sheet this campaign and winless in their last seven home outings – would have put them four points clear of sixth-placed Aston Villa and within two of third-placed Nottingham Forest.So, it was anyone’s guess why Maresca decided to dance with the devil this weekend, dropping FIVE first-team starters. In this instance, the devil could have the last laugh.Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Pedro Neto were all forced to watch from the bench as Chelsea faltered at a time they simply cannot afford to, dismally dreary for large parts against the Bees and only slightly better once Maresca gave in and chucked on the players that should have started in the first place.Yes, Palmer and Jackson have only just come back from muscular injuries after starting the 1-0 mid-week over Tottenham, but surely the risk was worth taking?READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThis has the potential to be a definitive weekend for Chelsea, for all the wrong reasons, inviting the likes of Villa, Manchester City and Newcastle to take full advantage.Keane Lewis-Potter sauntered down the left early on and picked out Bryan Mbeumo at the far post, but his volley back across goal was out of reach for Yoane Wissa.Frank taunted Chelsea before kick-off, suggesting they were “under pressure”, and Brentford upped the ante further by aggressively pinning Maresca’s men back.Lewis-Potter was in the mood, pinging another beauty in behind for Kevin Schade to chase, cutting back for Wissa to fire into a collection of static defenders in Blue.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKChelsea’s attacking presence was non-existent. And when they did get into promising positions, Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke were alarmingly impressive at doing nothing with it.Nkunku in particular was being bullied with ease by Brentford’s giants of men at the back. Another wasted chance to turn Maresca’s head, possibly now one for the Chelsea chopping block come the summer.Former Chelsea star Demba Ba talks about his role as director of football of USL A lack of clear-cut chances at either end made for a drab atmosphere in the west London sunshine.But you can always count on Robert Sanchez to bring some entertainment wherever he goes, like a travelling circus’ comedy clown wearing gloves.First, a trademark pass straight to an opposition player from the Spaniard. He was at hand to clear up his mess, denying Mikkel Damsgaard after Wissa’s clever dinked pass.And then, under no pressure at all, a stationary Sanchez decided to let a ball slip through his hands and almost onto the boot of Mbeumo.Maresca was not enjoying his keeper’s flirtations with danger, nor was the Italian coach thrilled with a lacklustre performance that was gradually getting worse.Jadon Sancho made a rare burst forward only to look up and find no one had joined him. Reece James’ weak defending then allowed Mbeumo to cut in and drag one just wide.If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. That was the view the away fans were clinging onto, sarcastically singing: ‘We’ve had a shot’ as Madueke fired straight at Mark Flekken.‘Boring, Boring Chelsea’ was the response from the home support as Sanchez palmed clear a Nathan Collins header.Maresca could and should have thrown on all of his game-changers at the break. Instead, he opted for just one to start with. Nkunku hauled off for Jackson.There was an instant impact. The Senegalese striker linked up well and then tested out his recently recovered hamstring with a lung-bursting to beat the Bees backline only to let Flekken off with a scuffed effort.Momentum, at last. Some more Chelsea positivity had Sepp Van Den Berg sweating as his dodgy cleared cross bounced off the chest of Flekken and out for a corner.Thirteen minutes into the second half, two more big-hitters entered the fray, immediately combining. Palmer to Jackson, Jackson to Neto and a shot from distance denied by an acrobatic Flekken dive.An encouraging introduction, but also a worrying reminder of just how much this Chelsea team rely on a few spectacular individuals.The Bees keeper was finally being kept busy, pulling out another aerial stop from a darting James header.An end-to-end contest was threatening to spark into life as Brentford brought about the game’s best chance in the 79th minute with a stunning counter attack from a Chelsea corner.It was embarrassingly simple for Mbeumo to bring down the ball, control it and then run around 50 yards up field before playing a neat one-two with Wissa.The resulting shot was full of fizz and power, met firmly by a strong Sanchez right hand.For all of Chelsea’s improvement, they could have gone behind another two times in the next two minutes, Van Den Berg heading into the ground and agonisingly over from a few yards out.Wissa’s flicked header seconds later was more forgivable, but still had Sanchez scrambling.Read More on The SunWith seconds remaining, Palmer curled wide and hurled himself to the floor in despair as the full-time whistle went.For Maresca’s sake, let’s hope this is not the beginning of a grisly end to Chelsea’s season. 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