Super-sub Asensio has explosive impact as fireworks greet Villa passage to Champions League quarters

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Aston Villa’s Marco Asensio, right, celebrates with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers after scoring his side’s third goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)

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Fireworks explode over Villa Park before the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

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Britain’s Prince William, top right, reacts during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)

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Aston Villa’s Marco Asensio celebrates after scoring opening goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Jacob King/PA via AP)

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Aston Villa’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, right, and Aston Villa’s Pau Torres celebrate at the end of the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)

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Britain’s Prince William, top second from right, reacts after Aston Villa scored their first goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

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Brugge’s goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, front, reacts after Aston Villa’s Marco Asensio scoring his side’s third goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)

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Aston Villa’s Marco Asensio scores his side’s third goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Club Brugge at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)

By STEVE DOUGLAS

Fireworks exploded above the stadium at the final whistle to greet Aston Villa’s progress to the Champions League quarterfinals in the club’s first season in Europe’s top competition in 41 years.

There’s no doubting who made the most explosive impact in Villa’s 3-0 win over Club Brugge on Wednesday.

Marco Asensio lived up to his status as the most prolific substitute in Champions League history with two more goals off the bench after coming on at halftime.

Make that 12 goals in 51 games as a substitute in the competition for the Spanish forward. On both counts, that’s more than any other player, according to stats provided by Villa.

Next for Asensio is a two-legged matchup against Paris Saint-Germain, the French club he left to ignite his career at Villa Park with the 1982 European champions.

He’s sure doing that.

The 29-year-old Asensio, who first made his name in a nearly decade-long stint at Real Madrid, has scored seven goals in his last five games for Villa — where he has slotted in seamlessly following his a deadline-day move in Europe’s winter transfer window.

Three of them have come against Brugge, having also converted a penalty in Villa’s 3-1 win in the first leg in Belgium last week.

Not PARSE.LY: Soccer

Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez falls to the ground after taking a penalty kick during a shootout at the end of the Champions League round of 16, second leg, soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Double-kick penalty by Álvarez leads to another heartbreaking loss for Atletico against Real Madrid

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after winning the penalty shootout during the Champions League round of 16, second leg, soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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Eight days on, he could even have grabbed a hat trick as he also hit the post with a shot between his goals in the 50th and 61st minute.

“We are still adapting, all the new players,” said Asensio, referring to fellow recent arrivals Marcus Rashford and Axel Disasi, “but I think that we are in the right way, and keep pushing.

“I am very comfortable, very happy with the teammates, with the fans, with the city, so keep continuing.”

The exploits of Asensio and his teammates got the royal seal of approval Wednesday, with Prince William at Villa Park to watch his favorite team play.

The prince visited Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground on Tuesday to wish the players luck ahead of the second leg. He had been in the area carrying out an official engagement at a referee training course.

Ian Maatsen also scored in the second half for Villa, one of two English teams to reach the last eight along with Arsenal.

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