In a night full of extraordinary moments, there was one just before the “big moment” that was worth capturing.

Jhon Duran stood up and put on his number nine jersey. From the bench, a low rumble of approval for this simple action rippled across the stands like the first sounds of an approaching storm.

Attention, here he comes: the Prince of Villa Park.

Nine minutes later he was back, breaking away from his teammates’ acrobatic cheers and grabbing the camera in the corner, flashing his now trademark grin. He held the pose as the place around him melted. The spotlight is on him.

Perhaps the goal was pure instinct, although Unai Emery said Villa had discussed how they could shoot to exploit Manuel Neuer’s wanderlust. This work was time well spent, but the plan still needed to be implemented.

It was just as breathtaking as his thunderous winner against Everton, but much more delicate and precise. In training or even in a lower-profile game it would have been daring, but in that moment, against this opponent, in that thousand-watt spotlight, it was astonishing.

Duran is part of a different kind of flashy doubles group with Ollie Watkins – partners who work alone. Their skills fit together perfectly, as Emery discovered afterwards.

“It was very important, the first work from Watkins, he worked for 70 minutes, then we added Duran in different ways, (as) a fresh player who scored the goal and won the game,” he said. “I’m thinking about the possibility if we can analyze our game plan to make that decision to play with both.”

For now, getting the best out of both players is a brilliant and inventive solution to the problem, and it can stay that way as long as both are happy with the arrangement. Emery offers the promise – and, to his opponents, the threat – that he must be on his guard as he finds a way to get the best of both.

Duran, who was apparently so unhappy just a few months ago that he wanted to move elsewhere, got the message clearly: stay with Emery, follow his plan, he will make you a star.

Soon no one will remember or care whether Duran was a regular starter in 2024 or not. They will forever remember that he was the hero who brought down Bayern Munich.

Beware of the Duran grin. Who’s next?