Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique will welcome Marquinhos back to the squad with open arms for Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg with Aston Villa at Villa Park.
The long-serving PSG captain was unable to take part in the first leg due to a yellow-card suspension, but his absence did not prove costly as the French champions came from behind to prevail 3-1.
With Marquinhos back in the fold, Enrique is expected to have every single one of his troops available to him, as PSG enjoyed the luxury of a weekend off from Ligue 1 football to prepare for their trip to the West Midlands.
Lucas Beraldo should be the unlucky sacrifice for the returning Marquinhos, who will make an immediate return to the backline as Willian Pacho‘s central partner ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes bomb down the flanks as ever – the latter was responsible for the crucial third goal at the Parc des Princes last week – while pass master Vitinha anchors the midfield.
The one-time Wolverhampton Wanderers man completed an astounding 148 passes in the first leg; the only player to manage more in a Champions League knockout game is Xavi, who completed 161 for Barcelona against Chelsea in the 2011-12 semi-finals.
Vitinha joins Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves in a sturdy midfield, while the equally terrifying trio of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia reprise their attacking roles.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
> Click here to see how Villa could line up for the second leg
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