UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Aston Villa targets repeat of 1982 heroics against Bayern

Unai Emery has warned Aston Villa that fatigue will be no excuse as his side aims to emulate the most memorable night in the club’s history against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Emery’s team will face Bayern at Villa Park in Birmingham in a repeat of its shock 1982 European Cup final victory over the German giant in Rotterdam.

Villa is back in Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in 41 years and the reunion with Bayern is sure to be an emotional occasion for players and fans alike.

It is especially poignant just two weeks after the death of former Villa striker Gary Shaw, a key member of the team to beat Bayern 12 months after they surprisingly won the English title.

Aston Villa’s striking partnership of Gary Shaw (l) and Peter Withe.
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Shaw, who died aged 63 after sustaining injuries in a fall, scored three goals in Villa’s run to European Cup glory, including a crucial quarterfinal second-leg effort against Dynamo Kiev.

When Peter Withe’s winner against Bayern lifted Villa to previously unimaginable heights, no one savoured the success more than locally-born Shaw.

Villa’s victory was all the more unlikely because, in February of that season, its title-winning manager Ron Saunders quit over a contract dispute.

Saunders’ assistant Tony Barton took over and calmly guided Withe, Shaw, Tony Morley, Dennis Mortimer and company to the final.

Villa was the underdog against a star-studded Bayern side boasting Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Paul Breitner.

Karl Heinz Rummenigge (right) of Bayern munich steers the ball past Williams of Aston Villa seen in action in the European Cup final between Bayern Munich and Ason Villa at Rotterdam, Holland on May 26, 1982.
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AP/The Hindu Archives

On a balmy spring evening at De Kuip, Villa looked doomed when goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer came off with a neck injury, forcing untested Nigel Spink into action.

But Spink, who had made only one appearance for the club, produced a series of superb saves before Withe poked in Morley’s cross in the 67th minute to send Villa into dreamland.

Wearing a disbelieving grin, Villa captain Mortimer lifted the trophy as Barton hailed “the most important day in the history of the club“.

Fixture schedule

Villa’s hopes of recreating that stunning victory will not be helped by the fixture schedule.

While Bayern played out a draw against Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, Villa was not in action until 24 hours later.

Emery’s men were held to a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Ipswich, with Liam Delap’s second-half equaliser denying them a chance to move second in the Premier League.

Emery had banned all talk of the Bayern game in a bid to keep his players focused on their trip to Portman Road.

Whether that was entirely successful is another matter as promoted Ipswich caused Villa problems with its tenacious performance.

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The end of Villa’s five-game winning run in all competitions stopped it from moving level on points with leaders Liverpool, sparking fears the mental and physical toll of a bruising encounter could hand Bayern an advantage on Wednesday.

Bayern, a six-time European champion, hopes to have Harry Kane available at Villa Park after the England captain suffered an ankle injury against Leverkusen.

But Emery is determined not to let Villa feel sorry for themselves if tiredness starts to seep in.

“What do we want? We want to play in Europe. We want to play matches on Sunday and Wednesday. We want to try to get to the same level they have on other teams like (Manchester) City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle, Tottenham. We want it,” Emery said.

“If we don’t want? OK, we are not playing in Europe and we are resting all the week. Fantastic for everybody, but it is the challenge we have — the players, myself, the supporters, even the journalists.

“We are going to be tired, but this is the level.”