Aston Villa demolish Fenerbahce 6-0 for record European win as Greenwood faces hostile Villa Park return

Aston Villa produced their biggest ever European performance to thrash Fenerbahce 6-0 at Villa Park in the Champions League, with Mason Greenwood enduring a hostile reception on his first appearance in England since January 2022. Goals from Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson (twice), Ross Barkley (twice) and Tammy Abraham gave Villa a commanding win that leaves them with two victories from two in the early standings.

Greenwood, 25, was playing his first match in this country since his suspension by Manchester United more than three years ago. Villa supporters greeted him with persistent boos and derogatory chants throughout the opening period, before turning their attention to celebrating a dominant home display.

The tone was set inside 12 minutes when Manzambi, celebrating his 21st birthday, converted John McGinn’s corner after the ball deflected off Milan Skriniar. Fenerbahce responded with chances of their own — Vedat Muriqi was twice denied by goalkeeper Zion Suzuki — but Villa’s clinical edge proved the difference.

Jackson doubled the lead in the 31st minute, latching onto a Boubacar Kamara interception high up the pitch and drilling a low shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards. The Turkish side came close to pulling one back when Oguz Aydin struck the crossbar, but Villa extended their advantage to 3-0 before half-time, with Barkley teeing up Jackson to place his second finish into the same corner as his first.

Barkley then added two goals of his own after the interval, and Abraham completed the rout with a late finish to seal a historic scoreline. The result is Villa’s largest ever European victory and also delivered their first home win of the season in the competition.

The Prince of Wales was among those watching from the stands, lending an added sense of occasion to a night that firmly announced Villa’s ambitions in this season’s Champions League. A home fixture against Viking follows next week.