Aston Villa's full route to Champions League final as they learn ALL opponents

Aston Villa have been drawn against Club Brugge in the last 16 of the Champions League and will face Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals if they win

Aston Villa will have to beat some familiar opponents if they are to upset the odds and reach the Champions League final this season.

Villa finished eighth in the first stage of the new-look Champions League format, with a dramatic win over Celtic enough to see them avoid a play-off. They have so far enjoyed a brilliant campaign, sending Prince William wild during their impressive run while back in Europe’s top club competition for the first time since 1982/83.

They learnt their fate in the last 16 on Friday when Unai Emery ’s side were drawn against Club Brugge. Having been seeded eighth, Villa will have the advantage of playing the second leg at home.

But they will know how difficult Brugge can be as an opponent after they upset Europa League champions Atalanta 5-2 on aggregate in their play-off. Brugge also beat Villa 1-0 in Belgium in the initial stage of the competition on November 6 – a game they will reflect upon.

“Aston Villa will have learned a lesson,” ex-Villa forward Gary Thompson said on BBC Sport’s Football News Show. “To be fair, there was very little in the game. If we come with the players we've got now, we have got a decent team, we shouldn't fear anybody at the minute.”

“Aston Villa will be happy with Club Brugge, but there's the potential of facing Liverpool or PSG,” former Villa defender Stephen Warnock added. “Villa will be thinking that's the best they could have got.”

If they get past Brugge in the last 16 then Villa will face either Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals of the competition. Emery’s side held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Wednesday, so would take confidence from that performance.

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A tie against PSG is another interesting one, given Emery has managed the French giants between 2016 and 2018 before taking the Arsenal job. That game would rule out January signing Marco Asensio, who is on loan from PSG until the end of the season.

Should they win another two-legged tie, then their semi-final would be against PSV Eindhoven, Arsenal, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid. Emery has plenty of experience of competing in big European matches, having won the Europa League three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal, so his approach will be crucial.

Here is the full route to the final in Munich on May 31 for Villa.

Aston Villa's route to the Champions League final

Last 16

Club Brugge

Quarter-final

PSG or Liverpool

Semi-final

PSV, Arsenal, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid

Champions League knockout draw in full

Last 16

Club Brugge vs Aston Villa

Borussia Dortmund vs Lille

Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen

PSV vs Arsenal

Feyenoord vs Inter Milan

PSG vs Liverpool

Benfica vs Barcelona

Quarter-finals

PSG or Liverpool vs Club Brugge or Aston Villa

PSV or Arsenal vs Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid

Benfica or Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund or Lille

Bayern Munich or Bayer Leverkusen vs Feyenoord or Inter Milan

Semi-finals

PSV or Arsenal/Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid vs PSG or Liverpool/Club Brugge or Aston Villa

Benfica or Barcelona/Borussia Dortmund or Lille vs Bayern Munich or Bayer Leverkusen/Feyenoord or Inter Milan

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