**Football Daily | Mings the Merciful and a Tale of Two Handballs** In the world of football, mistakes can happen to anyone, and they often do in the most public of ways. Take Tyrone Mings, for instance. During Aston Villa's match against Club Brugge at the Jan Breydel Stadion, Mings made a critical blunder by picking up the ball after a short goal kick from Villa's goalkeeper, Emi Martínez. With 23,466 fans watching, the moment was both bewildering and costly, as the referee awarded a penalty for handball. Unai Emery, Villa's manager, went through a range of emotions, from confusion to sheer frustration. In a different context, a fan threw a pig's head onto the pitch during the Corinthians vs. Palmeiras match, a clear indication of the intense rivalry, as away fans are not permitted at these derbies. In an era where football is highly professionalized, with managers surrounded by large coaching teams and players adhering to strict diets and training regimens, it’s refreshing to see moments of human error. Mikel Arteta's lapse in judgment when he picked up the ball before it had gone out of play, alongside Mings' oversight, serves as a nostalgic reminder of simpler times in the sport. Perhaps we could also bring back the days of £5 admission and no waiting lists for season tickets. Meanwhile, Celtic delivered what many consider their best European performance in two decades, defeating Leipzig 3-1 at home. Yet, this impressive feat received a mere 22 words of coverage in a popular football newsletter, prompting a fan to express their disappointment in haiku form: Celtic roars at home, Leipzig silenced, three to one, Press turns a blind eye. In a lighter vein, a reader reminisced about a clever headline they crafted while working as a sports reporter. After Windsor and Eton FC were knocked out of the FA Cup by the Met Police, they titled the piece: "They fought the law … and the law won." Years later, they admitted they were secretly hoping for that outcome just to use the headline. This is just a glimpse into the daily happenings in football. For more insights and stories, be sure to check out our full daily football email, Football Daily.

Tyrone Mings handed Club Brugge a peculiar penalty as Aston Villa suffered a defeat in Belgium. The incident unfolded just five minutes into the second half when Emiliano Martínez took a routine goalkick. In a moment of confusion, Mings mistakenly believed that play had not resumed. He picked up the ball, placed it on the edge of the six-yard box, and attempted to pass it back to his goalkeeper. However, the German referee, Tobias Stieler, and the majority of the stadium were convinced that the ball was in play. As a result, Mings, who had already received a yellow card in the first half, was penalized with a penalty kick for his actions, though the referee opted not to issue a second yellow card. Hans Vanaken stepped up to take the penalty and calmly sent the ball down the middle, giving the 19-time Belgian champions an unexpected lead. This match marked two years since Unai Emery's first game in charge of Villa, which had been a 3-1 victory over Manchester United. While it’s a testament to the progress the team has made, Emery's expression of frustration as Vanaken scored indicated his disappointment with the outcome. On the night, Villa struggled to find their rhythm against a well-organized Brugge side, managed by Nicky Hayen, who had previously coached in the Cymru Premier League. It would be misleading to attribute Villa's defeat solely to Mings's blunder. Brugge had been the more dynamic and dangerous team throughout the match. Ollie Watkins came close with a first-half shot that went narrowly wide, and John McGinn missed an awkward header. Despite some late attempts, including a shot from Boubacar Kamara that went wide with just four minutes left, Villa could not break through Brugge's solid defense, particularly the impressive performance from center-back Joel Ordonez.