When was the last time Aston Villa played in the Champions League ...
Aston Villa play European giants Bayern Munich, Juventus, Monaco and Celtic in the new-look league phase format of the UEFA Champions League this year.
The club have a long history of success on the continent, stretching back to their first involvement in 1975.
Counting themselves as one of only six English teams to win the European Cup, it is somewhat surprising that 2024 will mark their first appearance in the UEFA Champions League.
Following the rebranding of the competition for the 1992/93 season, Villa have seen plenty of action in Europe’s secondary competition: the UEFA Cup and subsequent UEFA Europa League.
Though never quite reaching the heights of their stunning 1982 European Cup victory, there have been some famous nights under the lights at Villa Park since then.
But when was Aston Villa’s last involvement in the European Cup and how did they fare?
When did Aston Villa last play in the European Cup?
The last time Aston Villa played in the European Cup was in 1982/83, the season after they made their debut and lifted the trophy courtesy of a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam.
More silverware would soon follow, as Barcelona were beaten 3-1 over two legs in the 1982 European Super Cup.
Defending champions Villa actually finished 11th in the English First Division shortly before their triumph in Rotterdam, but were granted a seat at Europe’s top table due to their win.
Tony Barton’s team could only reach the last eight in their second European Cup campaign, knocked out by eventual finalists Juventus 5-2 on aggregate.
Since then, the club have made nine appearances in the UEFA Cup and suffered two play-off round exits from the UEFA Europa League.
Their best run in the UEFA Cup came in 1998, matching their best finish from 20 years previously.
Johan Cruyff netted for Barcelona in the last eight first-leg clash at Villa Park, which ended 2-2, before Migueli and Juan Manuel Asensi put paid to Brian Little’s opener in Catalonia.
When was the last time Aston Villa played in Europe?
The last time Aston Villa played in Europe was last season, when Unai Emery’s men competed in the UEFA Europa Conference League for the first time.
A stunning 4-0 win over Ajax in the last 16 and a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Lille in the quarter-finals set up a tough tie against Olympiacos of Greece.
Unfortunately for Villa, the eventual winners enjoyed historic victories in Birmingham and Piraeus to reach their first-ever European final.
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