Other Competitions
Champions League for the Champions: PSG host Aston Villa
Just days after clinching the Ligue 1 McDonald's title, Paris Saint-Germain are in Champions League action against Aston Villa -- here's our preview of the champions' first-leg clash with the English side.
A familiar foe
Despite sitting just seventh in the Premier League, Villa have shown themselves a dangerous side this season on plenty of occasions, as they beat Bayern Munich in the league phase and have reached the semifinals of the FA Cup. That said, their form on the road has been iffy, as they showed in losing to AS Monaco and Club Brugge. There's also, of course, the added intrigue that they have Unai Emery on the bench -- the Spaniard led Paris Saint-Germain for two somewhat tumultuous seasons between 2016 and 2018.
Speaking pre-match, he remarked on the uniqueness of the occasion, saying "I spent two years here in Paris, and I feel good to be back. It's the first time I've returned. It's very special for me, and I am very proud of how I am returning here, playing with Villa in the Champions League. I'm going to try to enjoy this quarter-final."
It's not just on the bench that the Premier League side have familiar faces, though. Left back Lucas Digne came through at LOSC Lille and later spent time in the capital, winning a pair of Ligue 1 titles before joining AS Roma and then Barcelona. The Villans' midfield will also have a familiar look to it -- Boubacar Kamara, a product of Marseille's academy, and Youri Tielemans, who had a successful spell with AS Monaco, are likely to form the visitors midfield, while PSG loanee Marco Asensio and former Monaco defender Axel Disasi, are set to be on the bench.
đïž Luis Enrique: âIt will be an intense match'#PSGAVFC https://t.co/JAOUVTgyHU
â Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 8, 2025
A dilemma in defence
As for the hosts, they've been going from strength to strength in the new year, led by their in-form attacking trident of Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué. With January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also an option, and Fabiån Ruiz a source of goals from midfield as well, Luis Enrique's team have become a much-feared attacking juggernaut, but the Spaniard will have a tough choice to make in defence with Marquinhos suspended.
The veteran captain will miss out, and Enrique will have to decide between youngster Lucas Beraldo or Lucas Hernandez to replace the Brazilian, neither being ideal options as both are left footed. While Villa have absences of their own, including winger Leon Bailey, Enrique is cognizant of his own team's potential weakness, saying, "In football, there are no such things as favourites. There are eight teams who are in the quarter-finals because they deserve it. We will need to do what we have to do and deserve to win on the field."
Predicted lineups:
Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pacho, Beraldo (or Hernåndez), Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doué, Dembélé, Barcola
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): MartĂnez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Rogers, McGinn, Ramsey; Rashford (or Watkins)
Read more:
