Aston Villa win their first Champions League game in Bern

Aston Villa have made a winning start to their first ever Champions League campaign, beating Young Boys 3-0 in Bern on 17 September.

Goals from Youri Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana gave Unai Emery's side a comfortable victory in Switzerland, as Villa returned to the top level of European club football for the first time in more than four decades.

Back among Europe's elite

Villa's last appearance in Europe's premier club competition came in the 1982-83 season, when it was still known as the European Cup. The club had won the trophy the previous year, beating Bayern Munich 1-0 in the final in Rotterdam.

They qualified for this season's competition by finishing fourth in the Premier League last season, their highest top-flight finish since 1995-96. They confirmed the place on 14 May, sparking celebrations across the Villa-supporting half of the city.

Last season also brought a run to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, where Villa lost to Olympiacos, the club's best European campaign since 1982.

A new format

This season's Champions League has a new format. Instead of groups of four, all 36 teams play in a single league, with each team playing eight matches against different opponents.

Villa's draw is a tough one. At Villa Park, they will face Bayern Munich, their opponents in that famous 1982 final, as well as Juventus, Celtic and Bologna. Away from home, they will play RB Leipzig, Club Brugge and Monaco, as well as Young Boys.

The top eight teams in the league will go straight through to the last 16, while those finishing between ninth and 24th will play off for the remaining places.

The Emery effect

Villa's rise has been driven by Unai Emery, who took over in October 2022 with the club in the bottom half of the Premier League. The Spaniard, who has won the Europa League four times, has transformed the team into one of the most consistent in the country.

The club has also been investing heavily off the pitch, with plans to expand Villa Park and improve its training facilities.

Bayern next at Villa Park

The first home match of the campaign will be against Bayern Munich on 2 October, a repeat of the 1982 final, and one of the most eagerly awaited games at Villa Park for many years. Tickets are expected to be in huge demand.

For supporters who remember the European Cup triumph, and for younger fans who have only heard the stories, the return of Champions League football is a moment many thought they might never see. After years of ups and downs, including relegation in 2016 and three seasons in the Championship, Villa are back where their history says they belong.