Opening their Champions League quarter-final with a midweek clash at Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa will vie for a first-leg lead on Wednesday evening.
Over two legs, they meet for the first time in European competition, with either Real Madrid or Arsenal awaiting the winner in this season’s final four.
Match preview
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Despite suffering a rare home defeat in Paris, PSG ultimately prevailed in their last-16 contest with Liverpool, winning 4-1 on penalties after pulling off a second-leg success at Anfield to level the tie.
The English champions-elect were twice denied by the giant frame of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during a dramatic shootout, while the Ligue 1 side netted all four spot-kicks to advance into the quarter-finals of Europe’s top club competition.
That continued a journey that started rather shakily in the league phase, as Luis Enrique‘s youthful squad – which has the youngest average starting XI still standing in this season’s Champions League – struggled to even reach the playoffs.
Once there, they dispatched compatriots Brest with some ease, smashing the Breton side 10-0 on aggregate, before beating league-phase top dogs Liverpool with a stylish triumph over two legs.
In fact, PSG’s sole loss across their last 29 games came in the first leg of that tie, and Saturday’s league win over Angers duly wrapped up another French title with six games to spare: Desire Doue‘s second-half strike confirmed his club’s customary domestic crown, also keeping them on track for an ‘invincible’ campaign.
The capital club remain on course to go through the entire top-flight season unbeaten, with 23 wins and five draws from 28 matches so far – and they will try to complete a successful defence of the Coupe de France when meeting Reims in next month’s final.
Beaten by Borussia Dortmund in last season’s semis – and Bayern Munich in the 2020 decider – PSG’s focus is now fixed on taking the final steps toward lifting the elusive Champions League trophy.
Led by a familiar face, Aston Villa will be the fourth English team they have played in this season’s extended edition – following Arsenal, Manchester City and, of course, Liverpool – as the clubs clash for the very first time.
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Villa’s Basque boss, Unai Emery, was in charge at Parc des Princes from 2016 to 2018, winning one league title and four domestic cups during his stay.
A proven master of knockout football, who has claimed 10 trophies as a manager so far, he more recently led the Birmingham club back into UEFA’s top competition for the first time in four decades, before compiling an impressive set of results in this season’s league phase.
Seeing off Bayern Munich at Villa Park was a particular highlight, as Villa automatically qualified for the last 16 by claiming a cherished top-eight place, and they then beat Club Brugge 6-1 on aggregate in their first knockout tie.
That success came shortly after the 1982 European champions had endured a worrying lull in the Premier League, but they have since been back to their best, with winter signings such as Marcus Rashford and PSG-owned Marco Asensio to the fore.
Having seen off third-placed Nottingham Forest at the weekend, posting a seventh straight win across all competitions, the Villans are in with a good chance of qualifying for Europe again – and they also have an upcoming FA Cup semi-final to look forward to.
So, they are only two wins away from a first major domestic trophy for 29 years, as well as being one of just eight clubs still challenging for the Champions League.
However, Emery has won only two of 10 games against Luis Enrique to date – both on home turf – and their most famed meeting came during the 2016-17 campaign. On that occasion, Enrique’s Barcelona fought back from four goals down to eliminate Emery’s PSG with an incredible 6-1 victory in the second leg.
Furthermore, Aston Villa have yet to win a single European game in France, most recently losing to Lille in last year’s Conference League and then Monaco earlier this season. But, ever an underdog, Emery has rarely been deterred by such matters.
Team News
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While Lee Kang-in is the only Paris Saint-Germain player currently sidelined by injury, the hosts will also be without their captain on Wednesday night, as Marquinhos must serve a suspension.
After Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Demebele were benched against Angers, they should all return to the starting XI, with the latter having compiled a spectacular record in Europe this season.
Dembele has scored seven goals in his last six Champions League appearances – one more than in his previous 36 combined – and the France star is set to join Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in a potent three-man attack.
Meanwhile, PSG loanee Marco Asensio has already netted three in two for Aston Villa – both as a substitute – after failing to score in 10 Champions League games for his parent club. Since leaving Paris in January, Asensio has contributed eight goals from 11 appearances overall, so he will hope to keep his place in a front line led by either Ollie Watkins or Marcus Rashford.
Donyell Malen and Morgan Rogers – both scorers on Saturday – are also in the mix for selection, but Leon Bailey remains a doubt despite recently returning to full training.
Only Ross Barkley is certainly sidelined, so Unai Emery has an almost full squad to choose from, with Ezri Konsa, captain John McGinn and influential midfielder Boubacar Kamara among those likely to regain their starting places.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Beraldo, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; McGinn, Asensio, Rogers; Rashford
We say: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Aston Villa
Not only are Paris Saint-Germain imperious on home turf, but Aston Villa are often fallible on their travels.
Putting Villa’s dubious defence to the test, the perennial French champions should take a lead with them to England next week – but the visitors could keep themselves in contention for the semi-finals.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
