Aston Villa will host PSG this Tuesday for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal matchup. PSG enters with a 3-1 lead from the first leg at Parc des Princes. Aston Villa needs to score at least two goals to have a chance to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 1982, the year they won their only title by defeating Bayern Munich 1-0 in the final. PSG, having already secured the French Ligue 1 title, is fully focused on European success after being eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in last season`s semifinals.
Since joining PSG in the summer of 2023, coach Luis Enrique has prioritized winning the Champions League, a trophy the club has never won, despite reaching the final in 2020 against Bayern Munich under Hansi Flick. To advance, PSG must overcome Aston Villa and their former PSG coach, Unai Emery. Emery`s tactical prowess was evident in the first leg, despite the final score. Here’s a preview of the match, including key storylines and how to follow the action:
Match Details
- Match: Aston Villa vs. PSG
- Competition: UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals, Second Leg
- Date: Tuesday, April 15
- Location: Villa Park, Birmingham, England
First Leg Recap
PSG defeated Aston Villa 3-1 in Paris. Despite Aston Villa taking an early lead through Morgan Rogers on a counterattack, PSG responded with two impressive goals from Desire Doue from outside the box and a solo effort from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia early in the second half. Nuno Mendes added a late goal to secure a comfortable 3-1 advantage for PSG heading into the second leg.
PSG Perspective
Luis Enrique has stated that he is not underestimating Aston Villa`s capabilities. He emphasized the team`s focus on solving the challenges Aston Villa will present and securing victory to advance to the semifinals. He acknowledged the historical significance of Villa Park as a source of motivation for his players, not a problem.
Aston Villa Perspective
Unai Emery acknowledged the difficulty of the task against PSG in his pre-match press conference. He stressed the importance of a strong game plan and individual player performances. Despite the first-leg result, Emery believes Villa demonstrated their ability to compete and get close to PSG. He aims to leverage Villa Park as a fortress and believes in his team`s chances while respecting their opponent.
Projected Lineups
Aston Villa XI: Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne; Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans; John McGinn, Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers; Marcus Rashford.
PSG XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Lucas Beraldo, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue.
Player to Watch
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG: Kvaratskhelia, PSG`s January signing, scored a remarkable goal in the first leg and has been a standout performer. His contributions are seen as crucial to PSG`s Champions League aspirations.
Key Storyline
Emiliano Martinez vs PSG: Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa`s goalkeeper, faced significant attention from PSG fans in the first leg due to his past rivalry with French fans following the 2022 World Cup final. He was met with whistles throughout the match in Paris.
Match Prediction
Despite Aston Villa`s potential to create chances, it`s predicted that overcoming a 3-1 deficit against PSG will be too challenging.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2, PSG 2.
