After his costly error in November, Tyrone Mings returned to Brugge with a point to prove—leading Aston Villa to a crucial 3-1 win in their Champions League last-16 first leg

Four months ago, Tyrone Mings endured humiliation at the Jan Breydel Stadium as his costly handball gifted Club Brugge a penalty—an error Aston Villa boss Unai Emery called “the biggest mistake I have witnessed in my career.” Now, on the Champions League stage, Mings had a chance to make amends.

On Tuesday night, Mings was back in Belgium—not as a liability, but as a leader. In a stunning turnaround, the England international played a key role in Aston Villa’s 3-1 Champions League last-16 victory, providing a crucial assist and a goal-saving block to put his side on the brink of the quarter-finals.

“I was more than happy to come back here,” Mings admitted after the win. “We had unfinished business.”

A Tale of Redemption

Mings’ previous visit to Brugge was a nightmare. In November’s group-stage clash, he bizarrely picked up the ball inside his own box, wrongly believing the goal-kick hadn’t been taken. Referee Tobias Stieler awarded a penalty, and Hans Vanaken converted to hand Brugge a 1-0 win.

It was a bitter moment for Mings, who had only just returned from a 14-month layoff with an ACL injury. Emery didn’t mince his words back then: “His mistake is completely strange. It’s only happened once in my life.”

Fast forward to Tuesday, and Mings ensured his return to Brugge would be a different story. In the third minute, he headed the ball into the path of Leon Bailey, who volleyed Villa into an early lead. Later, with the score at 1-1, Brugge captain Vanaken directed a header towards goal—but Mings stretched out a leg to divert it just wide, preventing what seemed a certain goal.

“Tyrone Mings was incredible,” said former Scotland winger Pat Nevin. “He stopped it diverting into the inside of the post—that surely prevented a goal.”

Villa’s European Charge

Aston Villa’s sixth win in nine Champions League games has given them a strong advantage heading into the second leg in Birmingham on 12 March. Emery, however, remains cautious.

“We are not in the quarter-finals yet,” he warned. “There’s still 90 minutes to play. Brugge beat Atalanta 3-1, so we have to respect them.”

With 1,500 Villa fans celebrating wildly in Belgium, the club is daring to dream. Their last Champions League knockout tie came in 1983—now, under Emery, they are eyeing a last-eight showdown against either Liverpool or PSG.

For Mings, this was more than just a win. It was redemption.