Aston Villa

Image source, Getty Images

Olympic medallist and lifelong Aston Villa fan Katherine Merry joined BBC Radio 5 Live on Thursday to chat about the "special night" she witnessed at Villa Park on Wednesday.

Unai Emery's side claimed a memorable 1-0 win over Bayern Munich thanks to a yet another goal off the bench from forward Jhon Duran.

Merry said: "I was delighted to be one of about 43,000 Villa fans there at Villa Park last night. I have raced in some of the biggest moments of sport, commentated on them, been trackside, but last night was so, so, so, so special.

"The club managed it really well and then the team managed to get a fantastic 1-0 win. As football fans, those are the moments we live for - nights like that."

Interim England boss Lee Carsley has announced his squad for this month's Nations League games with Greece and Finland.

Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke is the headline inclusion, returning to international contention for the first time in seven years.

The 27-year-old has three goals in six appearances for Spurs since moving from Bournemouth in the summer.

Read the full story

Image source, PA Media

Former Aston Villa midfielder Ian Taylor, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about the Champions League win over Bayern Munich:

"It's been 40-odd years since we've played in the competition so there's a lot of people who would have been there who have never sampled Champions League or European Cup football.

"It was really something special because the atmosphere was something else."

On the forward options available to manager Unai Emery:

"It's a manager's dream to have Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran, and to be managing that situation the way he is at the moment. You have to take your hat off to him.

"It's not easy. You'll have Jhon Duran every Monday morning saying he wants to be starting games.

"But to be doing what he's doing - having the right attitude to be on the bench in the first place, then to come on and score - at just 20 years old means he's a special player."

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

You speak to people instrumental in Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran's career and some common themes come up - a raw, supremely talented footballer, a family man and somebody who needs to be guided.

It has been a pretty rapid rise for one of the youngest goalscorers in Colombian professional football history and the youngest foreign signing in Major League Soccer.

In January 2023, Unai Emery made Duran his second signing.

The then teenager was eased into the picture that campaign, though, and started making waves last season - even though he could not, and still cannot, get into the starting line-up regularly because of Ollie Watkins.

He courted controversy this summer after reportedly agreeing personal terms with West Ham and crossing his arms to imitate the Hammers' irons logo in a social media video.

"Credit to Emery - when you have a player who wants to leave, usually a manager says: 'Let him go'," said former Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger on Match of the Day's Champions League show.

"He put his arm around him and said: 'You'll get your chances - we need you.' And now that is the best proof. The difference he has made is massive."

Duran has started this season in spectacular form, scoring four goals in six substitute appearances in the Premier League.

But that was eclipsed on Wednesday, as he lobbed Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to send the home fans wild and seal a famous Champions League win.

It was his sixth goal, and fifth winner, in under 300 minutes of football this season.

Team-mate Morgan Rogers told TNT Sports: "He is such a handful for defenders. When he comes on with all that energy, he knows he will get that chance and he backs himself 100%.

"He is a great lad. He is the most chilled, relaxed person I have ever met. He is a different animal when he's playing."

Could Duran moving from super-sub to starter be the next progression in a career that seems to be progressing exponentially?

Image source, PA Media

Former Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast about goalkeeper Emi Martinez:

"He's a brilliant shot-stopper. Every team would want him in goal. He's a brilliant personality and he's got the whole package.

"He's just a outstanding goalkeeper playing at a high level.

"His save from the Harry Kane header was really sensational, but I can't say I'm surprised because he's really that good.

On Martinez performing well in big matches, ex-Villa forward Dion Dublin added: "He just seems to enjoy them - he never seems to be fazed. He's never got a stressful persona and he seems to enjoy the challenge.

"He makes saves like he did and he gets the high-fives from his players, but then he gets back into his zone again. He's very reliable and he's making a huge difference."

For more analysis, listen to the Champions League Debrief on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

The sight of Cole Palmer's "cold" celebration after scoring for Chelsea has become commonplace in the Premier League over the past 12 months - but did it originally belong to Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers?

The pair are good friends having played together in the academy set-up at Manchester City.

Asked on TNT Sports, external whether Palmer had stolen his celebration, Rogers said: "Yeah, it's true. Cheeky boy, isn't he? He's run with it.

"I'll let him have it - he's scored 40 goals or something stupid so I can't really argue with that, can I?"

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Unai Emery paid his respects to Aston Villa's glorious past while offering up the enticing prospect of a golden future on one of Villa Park's greatest nights.

The 1982 European Cup final victory over Bayern Munich was relived by Villa's legends in the build-up to this Champions League meeting with the Bundesliga giants with Emery more than happy to accept the weight of history he carried into the club's first game in this competition for 41 years.

And while nothing can touch the 1-0 win Peter Withe's goal gave Villa in Rotterdam all those years ago, this famous win that re-established Villa in Europe's elite group will make memories forever for all those who witnessed it as that scoreline was repeated on a night rich in drama and gripping tension.

The headlines will be grabbed by substitute Jhon Duran, scoring the 79th-minute winner with his fifth goal off the bench this season, and keeper Emiliano Martinez for a stunning last-second save from Harry Kane's header.

But the true architect of this victory, and this stunning Villa renaissance, made a sharp exit with a beaming smile, pumping his fists around an ecstatic Villa Park surrounded by a wall of noise.

Villa's win is the finest moment in Emery's brilliant rebuild, this European specialist on the sort of territory he enjoys after taking his team into the top four last season.

The sign of how far this club has come can be illustrated by the fact it was six years ago that an angry Villa fan threw a cabbage at then manager Steve Bruce in disgust following a draw with Preston North End.

Emery only gets thrown bouquets, his hero status confirmed by his face at the centre of a huge flag dropped from The Holte End moments before kick-off.

Read more from Phil McNulty on Villa's win over Bayern

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

We wanted to know your views on Aston Villa's win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, as substitute Jhon Duran's goal sealed all three points for the hosts at Villa Park.

Here are some of your comments:

Roisin: That was 95 minutes of absolute anxiety. It wasn't a spectacular game but it was intense. It was about bottle and battle, and then a little moment of magic that made the difference. Three more points in the bag.

Merlin: Whatever else happens this season, that is one result we can enjoy. There is nothing poor about Bayern Munich, a team who won their last European game 9-2. Thanks to the fans of other clubs for waving the flag with us. I always give my support to other British clubs playing in Europe.

Rob: Superb victory and thoroughly deserved. Unai Emery has Villa well-drilled and organised. Bayern had a lot of the ball and they did threaten a couple of times, but they were largely kept out. A great advert for English football.

Bear: I know Jhon Duran and Emi Martinez will rightly have their praises sung for a world-class goal and world-class saves, but the defence were phenomenal. The midfield were not only a shield, but also an outlet when needed. Ollie Watkins ran at their defence in the first half and that paid dividends for Duran to have the energy to bulldoze his way into a position where he lobbed one of the best goalkeepers in the world!

Clyde: What a fantastic win. Duran has to be a regular starter sometime soon. Another huge step in the right direction under Unai Emery at Villa Park. Now to put six past Manchester United!

Former Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast about Jhon Duran's winner for Villa against Bayern Munich:

"I don't know how Duran scored that goal. The ball has travelled 60 yards and he made it look so easy.

"As a centre forward, to put yourself in the right position while the ball's travelling forward, to hold off a defender, to look where the keeper is and to execute it - that was an outstanding finish from a young boy who is just making his way in the game.

"I couldn't be happier for the fans."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

Thomas Hitzlsperger
Former Aston Villa midfielder on MOTD: Uefa Champions League

Image source, Getty Images

This was a different Aston Villa to the one we have seen and perhaps many people wanted to see, but that didn’t matter.

Villa did not come out to play exciting football, and they were not attack minded like they usually are, but Unai Emery had a game plan and it worked out.

They did not try to take risks or please people, they tried to get a result.

It worked, partly because Bayern were not ruthless enough, and also because they have a world-class keeper in Emi Martinez when they were opened up… and also because they could bring someone like Jhon Duran off the bench to win them the game.

Watch Champions League highlights show on BBC iPlayer

Image source, Getty Images

Former Aston Villa forward Garry Thompson speaking on BBC Radio WM after Villa's win over Bayern Munich: "I’m so proud of these boys.

"They have done absolutely magnificently well because everyone looked at this and thought - 'amazing occasion but they won’t get an awful lot from the game'. They have had the occasion, they have not played the occasion, they have played the game and they have done ever so well.

"They competed with Bayern Munich, they took the game to them and Jhon Duran has scored another wonderful goal.

"Coming on with 20 minutes to go, 30 minutes to go, all of a sudden with his strength, his power, his pace, his ability to strike a ball as well. Jhon Duran is a centre forward and for 25 minutes he looks the perfect centre forward. If he turns that into 90 minutes, we have got some player here.

"The kid has talent, he has ability. When he came off the bench and we played Man City, he chested the ball, took it on the volley and hit the crossbar and you thought ‘hello, who is this kid?’.

"But bit by bit he has shown in parts he has a lot of ability. Jhon Duran looks a player."

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery told TNT Sports: "We want to be consistent to play in Europe [regularly]."

On goalscorer Jhon Duran: "We are working with him. Most important is his attitude. He's available to play 90, 60, 30 minutes. He's been focusing each minute he's playing.

"Today we had two very good strikers. It's fantastic for him and the team.

"Against teams like that, it's very important to be strong. Martinez did an amazing job, amazing saves.

"We have to try to play each match. We compete very well, we won. Maybe we can get [in] the first eight positions."

Image source, Getty Images

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, speaking to TNT Sports: "It's unreal to be fair. This is the loudest Villa Park that I've heard since I joined the club, that's for sure, it was hurting my ears at some point.

"It's a club that is moving forward. It's the main reason why I stay in this football club. I love playing here, I love the fans, this is a win for them."

On Harry Kane: "You know with Harry Kane, you know that he's always going to hit on target at some point in the game so I've been working a lot with moving and making saves."

On defence: "We are committed [more] defensively in Champions League, we need to transmit that into the Premier League now. We are conceding some sloppy goals in the Premier League, we need to find that balance, we know we can keep clean sheets so we move on from here."

On goalscorer Jhon Duran: "He came back with a different mentality this season. He's willing to work hard, he's pushing Ollie [Watkins] all the way, they can play together. He's a super sub, the first time he touched the ball, he lobbed Neuer, one of the best goals in history."

On the result: "It's a statement, there's still a lot to play. We want to qualify in the first eight, in the top eight, it's one step at a time, we've got Bologna at home now in our second game, we are probably more relaxed but we want to win every game."

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa's Jhon Duran has scored more goals (five) as a substitute in all competitions than any player in Europe's big five leagues this season.

Since his debut for Villa in February 2023, the only player in Europe's big five leagues with more goals as a substitute than the Colombia international (10) is Lautaro Martinez (11).

Image source, Getty Images

Jhon Duran emerged from the bench in dramatic fashion once more to give Aston Villa a magnificent victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League at an exultant Villa Park.

Follow reaction and read the match report