On a cold European night in Birmingham, Aston Villa found the release that domestic football has so far denied them. Unai Emery’s side, sitting a disappointing 16th in the league, swept Fenerbahce aside 6-0 at Villa Park to make it two wins from two in the Champions League.
The scoreline was ruthless rather than entirely reflective of the opening contest. Fenerbahce created as many, if not more, meaningful chances before half-time, but Zion Suzuki stood firm in the Villa goal while the home side converted with striking precision.
Quick facts
- Aston Villa beat Fenerbahce 6-0 in Birmingham in Champions League matchday two.
- Nicolas Jackson scored twice, with Johan Manzambi, Ross Barkley and Tammy Abraham also on target.
- Barkley struck a penalty and added another goal; Abraham completed the scoring in the 90th minute.
- Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki kept the clean sheet after joining Villa for €35 million during the summer.
- Fenerbahce had opened their Champions League campaign with a 1-1 home draw against Roma.
Swiss forward Manzambi started the surge in the 12th minute, given space inside the area to bring the ball down and finish. Villa then turned their sharpness into a substantial interval lead through Jackson.
The Senegal striker, who had also scored away to Club Brugge in the opening round, needed only three attempts to produce his brace. He punished a Boubacar Kamara ball recovery with a shot from outside the box in the 31st minute, then struck from range again eight minutes later with his right foot.
Fenerbahce had no shortage of attacking pedigree, including Kosovo striker Vedat Muriqi, who ended last season as La Liga’s second-highest scorer with 23 goals. Yet the former Mallorca forward failed to take either of his two first-half openings.
Oguz Aydin came equally close in the 34th minute, only for Suzuki to get enough on his effort to send it onto the bar and away. The Japanese goalkeeper’s performance underlined why Villa invested €35 million in his arrival.
Rather than protect their advantage, Villa continued forward in search of a first home win of the season in all competitions. Barkley widened the margin from the penalty spot in the 68th minute and scored again four minutes later.
Abraham, introduced for Jackson, supplied the final touch in the last minute of normal time. The 6-0 finish offered a stark contrast to Villa’s struggles on domestic ground and gave Emery a resounding European response.
Villa started with Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Pau Torres and Wan-Bissaka; Kamara, Barkley, McGinn, Manzambi, Mbaye and Jackson. Alysson and Joao Gomes replaced Kamara and Manzambi in the 73rd minute, Garnacho came on for Mbaye five minutes later, and Goretzka and Abraham entered for Barkley and Jackson.
Fenerbahce lined up Ederson; Semedo, Skriniar, Ake and Brown; Yuksek, Kahveci, Guendouzi, Greenwood, Muriqi and Aydin. Elmaz, Nene and Lukaku replaced Yuksek, Greenwood and Muriqi in a triple 69th-minute change. Slovak referee Ivan Kruzliak booked Guendouzi in the 42nd minute.
