On Tuesday, Mings - who has come a long way since playing for Yate Town and Chippenham Town in non-league football - provided a headed assist for Leon Bailey to open the scoring in the third minute.

At 1-1, Brugge skipper Vanaken produced a header which was on target and heading for the back of the net before Mings managed to get a vital touch which took it wide.

"Tyrone Mings was incredible there," said former Scotland winger Pat Nevin, who was in the Jan Breydel Stadium for BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He stopped it diverting into the inside of the post and that surely prevented a goal."

Mings made seven clearances - more than anyone else - as Villa notched their sixth win in nine Champions League games this season to leave their 1,500 travelling fans celebrating wildly at the end.

When asked about Mings' performance, Emery said: "The first experience he had here was not good. But today he reacted fantastic, playing focused, serious, saving one action that was a goal.

"Of course I know the difficulties in football and how we can have experiences and how we can get better and analyse everything deeply and try and correct it - that is my only target with the players.

"We corrected something from the match we played here."

This was Villa's first knockout tie in European football's premier competition since the 1982-83 quarter-finals - and Emery's side are certainly making up for lost time.

Club Brugge, who wasted at least two good chances, will feel they did not deserve to lose 3-1, but Villa have given themselves a golden chance to go through to the last eight.

Emery, however, is not getting carried away.

"We are not in the quarter-finals," the Spaniard was quick to point out.

"There's still 90 minutes to play. We're ready in case we need extra time and penalties because I know how difficult it is in each match.

"The players, I'm sure they have experiences before as well with matches like that and we have to respect the opponent always.

"They won against Atalanta 3-1 [in the knockout-round play-offs] and they compete very well.

"We need to watch the match again with the players to understand the difficulties we can face against teams in Europe.

"I am happy but calm, getting balance."