Aston Villa recorded their biggest-ever victory in a major European competition after thrashing Fenerbahce 6-0 in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, with Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson and Ross Barkley scoring twice each at Villa Park.
Johan Manzambi opened the scoring in the 12th minute when his effort took a deflection off Fenerbahce captain Milan Skriniar, leaving goalkeeper Ederson unable to prevent the ball from entering the net.
Jackson then took centre stage, scoring twice in eight minutes to give the hosts a commanding 3-0 lead at half-time.
The striker’s first goal came in the 31st minute after he was set up by Boubacar Kamara, before he struck again in the 39th minute with a clinical finish.
Fenerbahce threatened briefly in the first half, with Vedat Muriqi denied by Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, while Oguz Aydin hit the crossbar.
However, the Turkish side struggled to contain Unai Emery’s men as the match progressed.
Villa extended their advantage in the second half when Manzambi won a penalty, which Barkley converted in the 68th minute.
The midfielder added his second four minutes later, with his left-footed effort taking a deflection before beating Ederson to make it 5-0.
Substitute Tammy Abraham completed the rout in the 90th minute after Alysson set him up for Villa’s sixth goal of the night.
The victory gave Villa their second win in two Champions League matches and marked their biggest triumph under Emery across all competitions.
The result also represented Fenerbahce’s heaviest defeat in the Champions League.
Jackson, who joined Villa after Ollie Watkins’ departure in the summer, has now scored three goals in two Champions League appearances.
The 25-year-old has also found the net in each of his last two Premier League outings, strengthening his case as a key figure in Villa’s attack.
Speaking after the match, Jackson praised Manzambi’s performance, describing the midfielder as a top player and expressing hope that they would score more goals together.
The Senegal international also admitted he wanted to take the penalty to complete his hat-trick but said the team’s victory was more important.
Emery welcomed the result but acknowledged that his side had not been entirely convincing in the first half, despite leading 3-0 at the break.
He praised Suzuki’s contribution and said Villa improved their control of the game after the interval.
Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal apologised to the club’s supporters, admitting that his team had made costly mistakes against top-level opposition.
He described the result as unacceptable and urged his players to focus on their next league fixture.
