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Aston Villa may never top 1982, but, in a sense, they have emulated the most famous, most celebrated win in their history. Forty-two years on, as they belatedly renewed acquaintances, the score stayed the same. Just as it was in Rotterdam in the European Cup final, it finished Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 0: wonderfully, weirdly, Villa seem Bayern’s bogey team. It is now Birmingham 2 Bavaria 0.
Inspired by their past, Villa made history again. The 1982 final scorer Peter Withe had come from his home in Australia to watch on as Jhon Duran joined him in a select club. The super-sub became the second Villa player to score a winner against Bayern. The 1982 captain Dennis Mortimer saw Emi Martinez skipper the class of 2024 to a result which caps their rise: it is less than two years since Unai Emery walked into a club who had been flirting with relegation. It was six years to the day since they were a mid-table second tier club as then manager Steve Bruce had a cabbage thrown at him by a fan.
Villa have come from Championship to Champions League. If Vincent Kompany has made the same journey, his first defeat as Bayern manager was a milestone result, too. Bayern had not lost in 42 Champions League group stage matches, since 2017, since they were beaten by Emery’s Paris Saint-Germain. This was a reminder his excellence in continental competition is not confined to the Europa League.
His team were magnificent. Emery has lamented a lack of clean sheets in the Premier League but they showed a defiance. In particular, Martinez did. When the game ticked over into injury time, Pau Torres, who had combined defensive excellence with an assist, was arguably the man of the match. By the time the final whistle blew, Martinez surely was.
The World Cup winner had made a terrific first-half save to tip a Michael Olise shot over. On 90 minutes, he then made a point-blank block from Serge Gnabry. In the 96th minute, he flung himself to his right to push Harry Kane’s header away. It was a stunning save and the Holte End could surely consider themselves vindicated. They had delighted in telling Manuel Neuer that Martinez was “the world’s No 1”. It was not a night to suggest the German, a fellow World Cup winner, retains that tag.
Because the Bayern captain was culpable for the goal. Neuer was out of his box as Torres played the ball forward, Duran accelerated behind the Bayern defence and lobbed a goalkeeper caught in no-man’s land. It extended Duran’s astonishing record. He now has five goals as a substitute this season. On an evening when Emery showed a decisiveness in his changes, removing Leon Bailey barely half an hour after sending him on, as Kompany’s alterations showed the luxury of choice Bayern have, the Spaniard, made the decisive switch.
It was a goal that met with royal approval, Prince William applauding, and which showed Villa’s strengths. While Bayern had two-thirds of possession, there was a pace, a directness and a threat to Emery’s side. In a duel of England strikers, Ollie Watkins looked more menacing than Kane until he was replaced by Duran. Certainly Dayot Upamecano found him a handful, grabbing the forward by the neck to halt him, collecting a booking. Villa had thought they had led when Torres found the net from an acute angle after Jaden Philogene’s deft flick. It was chalked off, with Jacob Ramsey offside.
But, with Martinez in inspired form, his defence erecting a barrier, Bayern had no more incision. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and co could not score against Villa in 1982. Nor could Kane and company. The England captain was passed fit to start, as expected. But Bayer Leverkusen had kept him quiet on Saturday and Villa followed suit. Serge Gnabry blazed wide but Bayern’s chances were rarities.
And even before Duran struck, when a stalemate beckoned, it was an occasion to relish and remember, a reminder of what Champions League football means to those who cannot take it for granted. Hi Ho Aston Villa has rarely been louder. The soundtrack was nevertheless familiar becuase 1982 is part of the club’s identity. Villa fans have sung about it in the Championship; now they do in the Champions League.
In a touching tribute, Villa added Gary Shaw’s name to the squad list on the back of the programme. The youngest member of the 1982 team died last month. His name was at the top of the Doug Ellis Stand, too, with the banner of Brian Moore’s commentary of Withe’s Rotterdam winner relocated. Now they have to work out how to mark Duran’s decider. It is a lovely problem to have.
