Few others. Hello again. Welcome along to sportsday this evening. With the new Champions League Formatjust bedding in, tonights match at Villa Park is one that conjures up memories of what europes top Club Competition used to be. Its aston villas first Home Game since it was just called the European Cup, and villa had just won it. How fitting then that the team theyre up against tonight was the one they beat to lift the trophy in 1982 Bayern Munich. Players like captain dennis mortimer, nigel spink, and Goalscorer Peter Withe became heroes that night in rotterdam but now their modern counterparts take on a team that have had a blistering start to the season under new manager Vincent Kompany, and scored nine goals in theirfirst Champions League Match. So, lets head to Villa Park and speak to our correspondent nesta mcgregor. It could barely be a more significant set of circumstances tonight. Yes, sport is a funny way of throwing up these incredible narratives, doesnt it . More than four
i think i made most of them. i mean, it doesn t matter even which side. it was tough, tough to play. so, yeah, i don t see anything i could really do better. and that s good. that s when you can bounce back faster in the next tournaments. well, no such problems for defending champion iga swiatek. after a slow start, the world number one gave herself an early birthday gift a day before turning 22 by cruising past spain s cristina bucsa, 6 4, 6 0. yeah, i feel pressure. i would be lying if i said i don t, but i m trying to kind of work with it and just play my game, no matter, you know, all the circumstances and the expectations from the outside. it s not easy, but basically i think it s like the most important thing in tennis right now to cope with that properly. and i already know how to do that. so, i have all hopes that i m going to continue doing that. to rugby union and it s been a turbulent 2a hours for english premiership side london irish risking suspension from the
today, so it was not easy. i think i made most of them. i mean, it doesn t matter even which side. it was tough, tough to play. so, yeah, i don t see anything i could really do better. and that s good. that s when you can bounce back faster in the next tournaments. well, no such problems for defending champion iga swiatek. after a slow start, the world number one gave herself an early birthday gift a day before turning 22 by cruising past spain s cristina bucsa, 6 4, 6 0. yeah, i feel pressure. i would be lying if i said i don t, but i m trying to kind of work with it and just play my game, no matter, you know, all the circumstances and the expectations from the outside. it s not easy, but basically i think it s like the most important thing in tennis right now to cope with that properly. and i already know how to do that. so, i have all hopes that i m going to continue doing that. to rugby union and it s been a turbulent 2a hours for english premiership side london irish r
Manchester city able to close that gap later. An own goal by Pierre Emile Hojbjerg and efforts from bukayo saka and kai havertz put arsenal in control, 3 0 ahead at half time. Spurs did eventually fight back through a goal from cristian romero, followed by a late son heung min penalty, but arsenal managed to hold on and claim three valuable points. You know how much it means to north london, this match, and we were really efficient in the first half, we were really good at the start of the second half, in the control we had. But we gave it away and we made a huge mistake, made another one for the penalty, but then i love the direction of my players. And to do what weve done two years in a row here is even more difficult. You know, its great. When, at the end, you manage to win it, its great. Its a difference of where were at the moment and where we want to get to. Its about the details, making sure youre always focused every bit of the game, whether thats transition moments, set pieces
But with second placed Manchester City able to close that gap later. An own goal by Pierre Emile Hojbjerg and efforts from bukayo saka and kai havertz put arsenal in control, 3 0 ahead at half time. Spurs did eventually fight back through a goal from cristian romero, followed by a late son heung min penalty, but arsenal managed to hold on and claim three valuable points. You know how much it means to north london, this match, and we were really efficient in the first half, we were really good at the start of the second half, in the control we had. But we gave it away and we made a huge mistake, made another one for the penalty, but then i love the direction of my players. And to do what weve done two years in a row here is even more difficult. You know, its great. When, at the end, you manage to win it, its great. Its a difference of where were at the moment and where we want to get to. Its about the details, making sure youre always focused every bit of the game, whether thats transit