Barcelona 3-0 Aston Villa: Yamal makes Champions League history

Lamine Yamal set a new Champions League benchmark as his early goal set Barcelona on their way to a 3-0 win over Aston Villa.

Yamal scored in the seventh minute of Tuesday's contest at Camp Nou, as Barca capitalised on some risky play at the back from the visitors.

In the process, Yamal became the teenager with the most goals in Champions League history (14), surpassing the previous record, set by Kylian Mbappé (13).

And Yamal's early strike set the tone for a dominant display from Barca, with Raphinha netting a second-half brace as Unai Emery lost to the Blaugrana for the 22nd time out of 31 meetings.

Villa went into MD4 having led for more minutes than any other team in the Champions League this season.

Yet they were the masters of their own downfall when João Gomes played a blind pass in Villa's area, having been put into bother by Zion Suzuki's poor goal-kick.

Gomes picked out Yamal, who set himself, squared up his marker and curled into the left-hand corner.

Another poor Suzuki kick out almost gifted Barca a second, but Villa's goalkeeper atoned by keeping out Anthony Gordon's effort, while Nicolas Jackson survived a VAR check for a potential red card when he went in late on Pau Cubarsí.

Barca did double up seven minutes into the second half, though, with Raphinha's deflected strike finding its way beyond Suzuki.

It was 3-0 12 minutes later. João Cancelo drove in from the left and prodded a wonderful outside-of-the-boot cross in behind Villa's defence, with Raphinha expertly turning home.

Leon Goretzka hit the woodwork, but that was the closest Villa came to a consolation goal, with Yamal twice going close to scoring again on a historic night for the youngster.

Rampant Raphinha and ludicrous Lamine do the damage

Even though Villa must be lauded for being brave, some of their build-up play was incredibly slack, and they were duly punished by one of the best attacks in world football.

Indeed, no Premier League side has committed more errors leading to goals in all competitions this season than Villa (seven, level with Sunderland).

Yamal, on his 37th appearance in the Champions League, now has as many goal involvements in the competition for Barca as Samuel Eto'o managed (27). Only seven players have more for the club in the competition.

Barca's teenage sensation led the game for shots (six), shots on target (three), touches inside the opponent's box (12) and dribbles (seven).

But Barca's attack is not just about Yamal, of course. Raphinha came to the fore in the second half. He has now scored in each of his last three games in all competitions.

Since his debut for Barca in the Champions League in September 2022, only Harry Kane (51), Mbappé (44), Vinícius Júnior (41) and Erling Haaland (38) have been involved in more goals than Raphinha's 37 (23 goals, 14 assists).

And only Lionel Messi (120) and Luis Suárez (25) have scored more goals for Barca in the Champions League than Raphinha, with the Brazilian going level with Robert Lewandowski.

Barca, who created chances worth 1.96 expected goals, rounded off with 16 shots, with eight of those on target, while Villa (0.72 xG) only managed to have one effort on target in return.

It was Villa's first Champions League defeat this term (after three wins), and they dropped to third in the league-phase table, behind Barcelona, who leapfrogged their opponents to second on goal difference.