HALF-TIME: Aston Villa 0-0 Bayern Munich

45+1 mins: We added two minutes.

45 minutes: Olise pushes the ball to Gnabry in the penalty area, who turns the ball over to Laimer, who almost pushes his way in front of the goal to shoot. Martínez sweeps away any potential danger.

43 mins: Kane launches a long dribble before launching an erratic pass; He proceeds to strike Rogers from behind.

42 mins: Villa win the ball and calm the situation after a lively few minutes from Bayern.

39 mins: Wow, this time Olise shoots and it’s a great performance. It’s a meandering attempt that goes in from the right and is aimed at the top left corner from about 25 yards out… but Martínez jumps up to somehow knock the ball over.

38 minutes: Coman pulls back to Olise on the edge of the box, who tries to sidefoot a pass when a shot would have been the better option.

37 mins: Bayern have a free kick from distance on the right, Kimmich shoots it in… he has an ambitious shot on goal. It is easily swept away by Martínez.

35 minutes: Kane drops deep and plays a beautiful ball to Laimer, who can pass it on to the right, but the right-back’s cross is deflected and into the hands of Martínez.

33 mins: Villa will have to look for success on the counter-attack, which seems possible with Watkins isolated with Upamecano, who is already booked.

32 mins: Kimmich continues to dictate and finds Coman on the left as Bayern turn the game into attack and defense. Villa’s defensive form remains intact for now.

29 mins: Bayern played brilliantly from the back as Laimer put the ball over the top, giving Gnabry the opportunity to rage down the right wing. He enters the area, should pass to Kane… and instead shoots high and wide! A shocking performance and Kane is rightly angry.

27 mins: An early change for Villa as Ramsey picks up an injury. Leon Bailey is coming.

ILLEGAL GOAL!

21 mins: Oooooh. After a long punt from Martínez, Upamecano and Watkins are once again one-on-one, and this time the defender’s challenge is ruled a foul. It’s a yellow card and this looks like a tempting duel.

19 mins: Prince William is here if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

18 minutes: … Olise hits from the right, the ball goes out with a header before Coman shoots well over the crossbar.

17 mins: A nice build-up of play by Bayern on the right side leads to a corner…

16 minutes: Villa Park erupts as Watkins is challenged by Upamecano with only Neuer behind the defender. The game continues, but this could easily have ended disastrously for Bayern.

15 minutes: Digne finally manages to cross from the left and he finds Watkins at the far post… but he heads over the ball, deterred by his guard Min-jae.

14 mins: Olise brings down Digne on Villa’s left before the hosts finally get their passing game going and spread it around the pitch.

12 minutes: Kimmich plays the role of quarterback for Bayern and plays the long diagonal passes; he finds Coman on the left.

10 minutes: Nothing comes from the Bayern corner before the visitors press high, stifling Villa’s attempt to play from the back. It was a nervous opening for the hosts.

9 minutes: Villa is ripped open with a ball over the top from Kimmich to Gnabry in the box who tries to pass it to Kane. The end result is a corner for Bayern.

6 minutes: Kane comes into play and catches an excellent Kimmich cross from the right with his head. Martínez made a great save with his left foot… but the striker was still offside.

5 minutes: Rogers hits the ball but is also greeted by a stream of Bayern jerseys as the German team already tries to stop him from carrying the ball forward for Villa.

3 minutes: Bayern play around the back and dominate early possession.

2 minutes: Olise takes a corner for Bayern without harming Villa.

1 minute: Neuer spends a lot of time on the ball outside his penalty area, waiting and assessing. There is no hasty pressing from Villa on the goalkeeper who falls short.

Peeeep!

Rio Ferdinand is all excited and excited at TNT. The players are on their way out, led by two world champions: Emi Martínez and Manuel Neuer. Villa Park rocks.

Just a few more minutes… Prepare your cup of chamomile or whatever works.

Richard Hirst would like to see a particular person back at the cottage: “Don’t worry about how Kane is doing, what about poor Joao sitting on the Bayern bench instead of gracing Fulham’s midfield as we march up the table.” Don’t worry Joao, we do will have you back.”

Ben Fisher reports on one of the central subplots of the evening.

The question was about Harry Kane and the simple answer was one of typing, but instead Ollie Watkins paused before offering a candid assessment of the nuanced dynamics at play. For Watkins, Kane is his England captain, a teammate but also, to put it bluntly, the guy he is trying to displace.

How is Harry Kane doing in Germany this season? Five goals in five league games, four in a Champions League game and also one goal in the cup. He was an injury concern early in this game but is starting.

Bayern are making two changes compared to the 1-1 draw against Leverkusenwith Konrad Laimer and Kingsley Coman; Raphaël Guerreiro and Jamal Musiala go to the bench. Villa have one change from the 2-2 draw against Ipswich: 19-year-old Jaden Philogene replaces Leon Bailey.

The teams

preamble