Legia Warsaw 3-2 Aston Villa: Unai Emery left fuming as sloppy visitors are handed rude awakening on long-awaited return to European stage

• Home side led twice in the first half through Pawel Wszolek and Ernest Muci
• But they were pegged back by goals from Jhon Duran and Lucas Digne
• Muci scored again six minutes after the restart to seal memorable win 

Those Aston Villa fans confident enough to book hotels in Athens for the Europa Conference League Final next May should probably check whether they can cancel for free.

Given Unai Emery’s four Europa League titles and impressive work at Villa, his team were among the favourites for this competition – but Legia Warsaw made a mockery of those predictions by sending the ragged visitors to defeat amid bedlam at the Municipal Stadium.

This result will have given Emery doubts about whether he has the squad to compete in four competitions, as Villa were dire at the back and in midfield. They simply could not contain Legia’s young forward Ernest Muci, who scored twice and looks an exciting prospect.

The home side led twice in the first half through Pawel Wszolek and Muci, only to be pegged back by goals from Jhon Duran and Lucas Digne. Villa were lucky to be level at the break but failed to make the most of their escape. Muci scored again six minutes after the restart and there was no third comeback, even though Emery used all five substitutes.

With one eye on Sunday’s match at Chelsea, Unai Emery made five changes to his starting XI but the rejigged side did not click and Legia quickly moved in front.

Ernest Muci scored twice as Legia Warsaw beat Aston Villa on Thursday night

Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran levelled three minutes after Pawel Wszolek’s opener

In a deafening atmosphere, Patryk Kun escaped on the left and crossed for his opposite wing-back Wszolek – whose run had not been tracked – to steer the ball in at the far post.

The home side were jubilant yet their lead lasted only three minutes. Nicolo Zaniolo was a fraction away from his first Villa goal when his 25-yard rocket was touched on to the bar, with Duran completing the job by heading into an empty net.

That should have settled Villa but their build-up was ponderous and they were vulnerable to the counter. With Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans looking uncertain in the middle, Kamara was eased off the ball by Juergen Elitim. Elitim found Wszolek, whose cross clipped Digne and fell perfectly for the unmarked Muci to beat Martinez from close range.

A day after signing a new five-year deal, Ezri Konsa then played Villa into trouble by presenting Muci with the ball. The Albanian youngster sped past Konsa and tumbled under his challenge, with Konsa relieved to see play continue.

Clement Lenglet also seemed uneasy on his Villa debut. He was caught on his heels when Marc Gual drifted beyond him and forced Emiliano Martinez into a sharp stop.

That save proved crucial as Villa equalised two minutes later. John McGinn’s effort rebounded into the path of Digne, who struck his angled volley well and Kacper Tobiasz was helpless when a deflection took it beyond him.

Having been out-thought for most of the half, Villa then had two great chances to go ahead. First Kamara released Bailey on the right only for the Jamaican to guide his effort wide. Then Bailey crossed for Duran, who held off his marker but was denied by Tobiasz from eight yards.

Villa should have learned their lessons from the first half yet they were punished early on again, with Digne giving the ball away – and it was the impressive Muci who did the damage once more. 

Gual found his fellow attacker in space and Villa could not live with Muci’s pace as he sprinted beyond Konsa and Calum Chambers and sliding his shot past Martinez and off the post.

Villa were lucky to be level at the break but failed to make the most of their escape

Villa sent on Ollie Watkins, Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby in search of an equaliser

Unai Emery did not hide his frustration as Villa slumped to defeat on return to European stage

Emery had seen enough and made a triple change on the hour, sending on regulars Ollie Watkins, Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby for Duran, Kamara and McGinn.

Yet it was Legia who looked more dangerous. Another burst from Muci left Konsa treading water and when Muci teed up Bartosz Slisz, Martinez fumbled his 25-yard effort and was lucky that Chambers hacked clear in the nick of time.

Two of Villa’s subs, Matty Cash and the fit-again Jacob Ramsey, carved out a late chance, with Ramsey firing wide from 20 yards when Cash’s strike ricocheted into his path. Then Cash played in Diaby but Tobiasz raced out well to block and deep into stoppage time, Youri Tielemans put one into the side netting. 

Villa had woken up too late and Legia held on.

MATCH FACTS

Legia Warsaw (3-4-2-1): Tobiasz 6.5; Pankov 6, Kapaudi 6, Yuri Ribeiro 6.5; Wszolek 7.5 (Baku 90), Slisz 6.5, Elitim 7.5 (Celhaka 90), Kun 7; Josue 7, Muci 9 (Rosolek 72, 6); Gual 7 (Pekhart 67, 6). Subs not used: Kobylak, Hladun, Burch, Kramer, Gil Dias, Sokolowski, Jedrzejczyk, Strzalek.

Scorers: Wszolek 3, Muci 26, 51

Booked: Kun, Tobiasz

Manager: Kosta Runjaic 8

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez 6; Chambers 4.5 (Cash 67, 6.5), Konsa 4.5, Lenglet 5, Digne 5.5; Kamara 5 (Luiz 61, 6), Tielemans 5.5, Bailey 6, McGinn 6 (Diaby 61, 6), Zaniolo 6 (Ramsey 67, 6); Duran 6.5 (Watkins 61, 6). Subs not used: Olsen, Marschall, Torres, Moreno, Dendoncker.

Scorers: Duran 6, Digne 39

Booked: Zaniolo, Diaby

Manager: Unai Emery 5

Referee: Evangelos Manouchos 6

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