> **Villa beat Leipzig in the Champions League. Dave Woodhall’s enjoying it.**
**The idea of the new, improved Champions League was so that TV could show the Big Clubs even more and, presumably, give the smaller ones less chance to shine. I don’t think Uefa intended the likes of Ville and Leipzig to put on one of the best matches of the tournament, and I don’t suppose they’re too happy at the table as it stood at the end of the night, either.**
A few changes were only to be expected but it was still surprising to see Matty Cash on the right side of midfield with a central defensive pairing of Pau Torres and Diego Carlos. When three centre-backs are in the team and Tyrone Mings is on the bench you have to start wondering about the long-term future of one of the remaining players from the beginning of the Villa revival. There’s been a bit said about the prospects for the other member of the Championship to Champions League club, and it took three minutes for him to show that there’s still plenty to come from our ball of perpetual Scottish energy. A Cash chip, a head down from Ollie Watkins and McGinn gave Villa the lead.
With Leipzig having lost all their previous five games in the competition there shouldn’t have been much concern for the rest of this one, but this is the Villa we’re talking about. 27 minutes gone and a hopeful punt out of the home defence should have been cleared by Emiliano Martinez but he has to make the occasional mistake just to prove he’s human. Watkins then put the ball in the net but he was well offside even if the linesman flagged late.
Watkins was replaced at half-time by Jhon Duran and it didn’t take long for him to pick the ball up, find himself surrounded by five defenders and realise that a shot waa his only option. It was from thirty yards out but no matter. When you’re Jhon Duran anything’s possible; one way to start a frenzied debate amongst Villa supporters is to ask who was our best-ever number nine. At this rate, in a couple of years there’ll be no argument.
Duran almost put Villa 3-1 up but his goal was ruled out, although this one was a lot more debatable than Watkins’ disallowed effort. Shortly afterwards another long ball caused problems for the defence and Leipzig equalised for the second time. Lucas Digne then had a good chance well-saved and Pau Tores almost laid on a goal for the home side. Unai Emery made a few more substitutions but with five minutes remaining it seemed as though Leipzig were going to get their first point and Villa’s hopes of finishing in the top eight would be damaged when up popped new arrival Ross Barkley. His shot was from almost as far out as Duran’s, it wasn’t quite as accurate but it did have divine intervention.
Six games, four wins and thirteen points. This Champions League idea’s turning into a doddle even if our defence does keep doing its best to make it look like hard work. Monte Carlo here we come.
### _Related_