Aston Villa braced for blow as striker walks tightrope

Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran is treading a disciplinary tightrope in the Champions League as he is only one booking away from a suspension.

The Colombian picked up yellow cards in each of the club's first two league phase fixtures against BSC Young Boys and Bayern Munich despite only featuring for 50 minutes across both matches after coming off the bench. He then marked his first Champions League start with a goal against Bologna two weeks ago and avoided going in the book.

Duran was introduced in the 60th minute against Young Boys when Villa were already 2-0 up and he thought he had bagged the third goal of the night by sweeping in Jacob Ramsey's cross from the left, but VAR ruled it out for a handball by Amadou Onana. Duran was booked for his celebration as he headed over to where the Young Boys ultras were housed behind the goal and provoked them.

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The 20-year-old then scored his first Champions League against Bayern, which handed the club all three points and a memorable victory over the German giants earlier last month. He lobbed Manuel Neuer after chasing Pau Torres' ball in behind the Bayern defence.

Duran was booked in the 95th minute against Vincent Kompany's side and will miss the next league phase game Villa play if he picks up another yellow card. Champions League regulations state that from the first match in the league phase, players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after three cautions that did not result in a red card, as well as after any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc.).

Ian Maatsen, Ross Barkley and Diego Carlos are the only other two Villa players who have been booked in the Champions League so far.

Villa will play against Club Brugge away on Wednesday night (5:45pm kick-off), before they will then host Juventus in three weeks' time on November 27. Their sixth match is against RB Leipzig in Germany Tuesday, December 10.

Unai Emery's side play their penultimate league phase match at AS Monaco on Tuesday, January 21, before Celtic come to Villa Park the following week on Wednesday, January 29.

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