Updated September 8, 2026
Club Brugge and Aston Villa begin their Champions League league-phase campaigns at the Jan Breydelstadion on Tuesday, with Villa looking to put their poor domestic form behind them in Belgium. Villa return to Europe's top competition after qualifying for a second time in three seasons after winning last season's Europa League, but Unai Emery's rebuilt squad has struggled so far this season. Club Brugge, meanwhile, have won four of their opening five Belgian Pro League matches and have lost just three of their last 22 European home games.
Why Our Model Sees Value in Under 2.5 Goals:
“The move toward Club Brugge makes sense given Villa's form and Brugge's strength at home, but 39¢ is much closer to the probability I assign the hosts. The better value is now in the goals market. Villa have yet to score in the Premier League, while Brugge have been extremely difficult to break down. Under 2.5 goals offers a better combination of price and probability.”
Villa's Attacking Woes Give Goals Market Value
Polymarket currently prices Under 2.5 goals at approximately 43¢, implying a probability of around 43%. My projection puts the probability of two goals or fewer at approximately 52%, creating a 9% edge. Villa's attacking numbers are the main reason for this. Emery's side have failed to score in each of their opening three Premier League matches and sit bottom of the xG table with a measly 2.19 xG. Their new look team is taking time to gel, and the absence of Leon Goretzka and Andre Onana means their midfield lacks the physicality to overpower the hosts and seize control of the match.
Brugge's Defensive Strength Shouldn't Be Underestimated
Brugge provide another reason to favor the Under. They have conceded just twice across their first five domestic matches and recorded four clean sheets. This does not guarantee a defensive stalemate, but the market is effectively asking whether there is a better than 43% chance that Villa's attacking problems and Brugge's defensive strength keep this below three goals. My answer to this is an emphatic yes.
Recommended Prediction:
Under 2.5 Goals
Current Market Price:
43¢
Model Win Probability:
52%
Market-Implied Probability:
43%
Model Edge:
9%
Buy Up To:
49¢
Model Trade Confidence:
82/100
Club Brugge enter the Champions League in considerably better form. They have won four of their first five domestic matches while conceding only two goals. Four of those five games have produced clean sheets, giving Brugge the kind of defensive base that should translate well to a European home game.
Villa's start has been much more concerning. They were beaten 4-0 by Brighton on the opening weekend before losing 1-0 at home against Arsenal. Saturday's 0-0 draw with Hull finally delivered their first point of the campaign, but Villa have now played 270 minutes of Premier League football without scoring. The positive for Villa is that their performance against Hull represented an improvement. Emery's side controlled possession for extended periods and created opportunities, suggesting the underlying attacking process may be starting to improve even if the finishing has not.
Villa's difficult start has coincided with a substantial squad transition. Emery is incorporating numerous summer additions while dealing with injuries to important players. Amadou Onana and Johan Manzambi are among the significant absentees, while Leon Goretzka is still unavailable following his arrival from Bayern.
Club Brugge arrive with considerably greater continuity. That should help them defensively, particularly against a Villa attack whose combinations have not yet developed consistently.
The central tactical question is whether Aston Villa can turn possession into high-quality chances. Brugge do not necessarily need to dominate the ball to control this matchup. They can allow Villa possession in less threatening areas, protect the central spaces and look to attack quickly once possession changes hands.
Villa's challenge is breaking down Brugge's defensive setup. Emery's teams are normally excellent at manipulating defensive blocks, but the relationships within this new-look side are still developing. If Villa circulate the ball without consistently penetrating the penalty area, Brugge will be comfortable allowing them to dominate possession.
Brugge also have the attacking players to punish Villa in transition. Hans Vanaken remains central to their creativity, while Nicolò Tresoldi provides a direct threat up front. Brugge have also scored in 25 consecutive home matches, so this is not simply a bet on both teams struggling offensively. The stronger Under argument is that one team may struggle to contribute its share of the goals.
Aston Villa's response to their poor domestic attacking output will determine both the game and our prediction. There is no question that Villa possess enough quality to improve considerably on what they have shown through three Premier League games. Emery's teams have recovered from slow starts before. Last season, Villa responded to early difficulties by embarking on a run of 17 wins in 19 matches.
The question is whether that improvement arrives immediately in Bruges. Club Brugge are not an opponent Villa can expect to overwhelm simply because they play in the Premier League. Brugge have avoided defeat in 19 of their last 22 European home matches, and their defensive start to this season suggests they remain extremely comfortable protecting Jan Breydelstadion.
There is also recent history between these teams. Brugge beat Villa 1-0 here during the 2024/25 Champions League league phase before Villa emphatically reversed the result when the teams met again in the knockout rounds.
The current Villa side does not yet resemble the team that eventually dismantled Brugge. At 39¢, however, the market has recognized enough of those concerns that I no longer see sufficient value in backing the hosts outright.
The total has not adjusted as aggressively. With Villa still searching for their first domestic goal, Brugge conceding only twice in five games and neither side needing to take excessive risks in the opening league-phase fixture, Under 2.5 goals at 43¢ is the stronger prediction.
Prediction: Club Brugge 1-0 Aston Villa
Best Trade: Under 2.5 Goals at 43¢