Aston Villa's Marco Asensio (right) celebrates with Morgan Rogers after scoring his side's third goal during a Champions League match against Club Brugge on Wednesday. AP
Fireworks exploded above the stadium to herald Aston Villa's progression to the Champions League quarterfinals, as the club enjoys its first season in Europe's top competition in 41 years.
There's no doubting who made the most explosive impact in Villa's 3-0 win over Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Marco Asensio lived up to his status as the most prolific substitute in Champions League history, with two more goals off the bench after coming on at halftime.
That makes it 12 goals in 51 games as a substitute in the competition for the Spanish forward.
On both counts, that's more than any other player, according to stats provided by the club.
Next for Asensio is a two-legged matchup against Paris Saint-Germain, the French club he left to ignite his career at Villa Park with the 1982 European champion.
He's sure doing that.
The 29-year-old Asensio, who first made his name in a nearly decade-long stint at Real Madrid, has scored seven goals in his last five games for Villa — where he has slotted in seamlessly following his a deadline-day move during Europe's winter transfer window.
Three of them have come against Brugge, having also converted a penalty in Villa's 3-1 win in the first leg in Belgium last week.
Eight days on, he could even have grabbed a hat-trick, hitting the post with a shot between his 50th and 61st minute goals.
"We are still adapting, all the new players," said Asensio, referring to fellow recent arrivals Marcus Rashford and Axel Disasi, "but I think that we are on the right path, and we keep pushing.
"I am very comfortable, very happy with my teammates, with the fans and with the city. So, I'll just keep going."
The exploits of Asensio and his teammates got the royal seal of approval Wednesday, with Prince William at Villa Park to watch his favorite team play.
The prince visited Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground on Tuesday to wish the players luck ahead of the second leg.
He had been in the area carrying out an official engagement at a referee training course.
Ian Maatsen also scored in the second half for Villa, one of two English teams to reach the last eight along with Arsenal.
Emery wants more
Villa boss Unai Emery is thrilled to have steered his side into a Champions League quarterfinal, but now wants even more.
"For our club, it is very important to be in the Champions League quarterfinal, to play against Paris Saint-Germain is something we have to be proud of," said Emery.
"We are at this level, we have to be proud, but we want more. We want to compete against the best teams in the world. Now our priority is to try to be close to the level (of those) we are facing."
Emery, who has won the Europa League four times, said PSG would be a formidable opponent after it defeated Liverpool to set up the quarterfinal clash.
"Of course, to play a quarterfinal is fantastic, we are very excited, very motivated," he said.
"To play against PSG is very difficult. They showed their capability when playing against Liverpool, the best team in the Premier League, the best team in Europe until yesterday."
The Villa manager, who was PSG coach from 2016-18, was disappointed with his side's first-half performance against Brugge in the second leg of their knockout, when his team failed to score after the visitor had a man sent off.
But, it all came good with three goals after the break for a 6-1 aggregate victory.
"I'm very happy how we competed over the two matches," he said.
He singled out Asensio for praise after his second-half double.
"We are happy with him. We are protecting him because he is not 100 percent. Today, he was feeling good. He wanted to start the match, but I decided to protect him.
"He played at the moment we needed him, and he took the responsibility to do his job and score goals."
Agencies
