Lee Han-beom makes full Champions League debut as Club Brugge lose 3-2

Lee Han-beom completed a full debut in the UEFA Champions League main competition, but Club Brugge fell 3-2 to Aston Villa at home on Tuesday in the opening match of the league phase.

The South Korea international centre-back, 24, started at Jan Breydel Stadium and played the entire match. He joined Brugge from Danish club Midtjylland last month and has quickly established himself as a key central defender. His previous Champions League experience came in qualifying matches with Midtjylland.

Lee worked hard in front of his goalkeeper but could not contain Aston Villa’s attack. John McGinn opened the scoring in the 11th minute, Emiliano Buendia doubled the lead in the 22nd, and Nicolas Jackson added a third in the 43rd minute. Villa are managed by Unai Emery, while Japan’s first-choice goalkeeper Zion Suzuki started in goal.

Brugge tried to fight back after Hugo Vetlesen’s 19th-minute equaliser and Nicolo Tresoldi’s penalty in the 61st minute, but the hosts could not complete the comeback.

Porto’s Hwang In-beom also entered the competition in the first league-phase round, coming on in the 68th minute against Manchester City. Erling Haaland scored twice as City won 2-0. Elsewhere, Real Madrid beat Inter Milan 2-1 and Borussia Dortmund defeated Villarreal 3-2.

The league phase features 36 teams, with each playing eight matches. Teams finishing first through eighth qualify directly for the last 16, while those placed ninth through 24th enter playoffs for the remaining knockout places.