PSG vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

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·9 aprile 2025

PSG vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Aston Villa travel to the French capital this evening to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Villa boss Unai Emery was in the dugout at the Parc des Princes for two years and the Spaniard will be attempting to haunt his former employers tonight.

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January acquisition Donyell Malen is in fine form for the Villans having netted in consecutive matches. However, Emery is unable to utilise the Dutchman in Paris after he wasn’t included in their Champions League squad.

"To be playing in Paris in the Champions League quarter-final is something really special and amazing for everybody involved with Aston Villa." The boss spoke ahead of tomorrow's first-leg match 🟣
– martedì 8 aprile 2025

Spanish full-back Andres Garcia is also ineligible for the same reason, while Leon Bailey is a doubt. Despite being on loan from tonight’s opposition, Marco Asensio is able to play against his parent club. UEFA rules stipulate clubs cannot apply “any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may field in a match.”

PSG have already knocked out English opposition in Europe this campaign, having overcome Liverpool in the previous round.

Crucially, club captain Marquinhos is suspended for the first leg. The Brazilian centre-half was brandished a yellow card in both legs against Liverpool.

The Ligue 1 champions will also be without Kang-in Lee, who continues to recover from a sprained ankle. Aside from the aforementioned absences, Luis Enrique has his entire squad at his disposal. PSG are endowed with attacking options and the 54-year-old tactician has some tough decisions to make.

PSG vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Form

PSG: WWWWW

PSG were confirmed as Ligue 1 champions at the weekend after narrowly edging out Angers in the French capital.

Desire Doue’s second-half strike secured another three points for Luis Enrique’s side and extended their lead over second-place Marseille to 22 points.

With only six league games remaining, it is now mathematically impossible for PSG to be caught. Despite this achievement, the French heavyweights still have ambitions to create history.

The Parisians have the opportunity to become the first team in French football history to go unbeaten in the top flight.

Alongside the prospect of that unprecedented feat, they are targeting a treble this campaign. In May, PSG will face Reims in the Coupe de France final. They have also emerged as one of the favourites for the Champions League after outclassing Liverpool in the round of 16.

Aston Villa: WWWWW

Villa are one of the most in-form teams on the continent having triumphed in each of their last seven matches.

At the weekend, they beat an organised Nottingham Forest 2-1 at Villa Park courtesy of goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen.

The recent surge has seen Unai Emery’s side rise to within two points of the Premier League’s top four.

During the prosperous period, the Villans have also advanced into the semi-finals of the FA Cup. At the end of April, they will battle it out with Crystal Palace to determine who is worthy of competing in the final.

Aston Villa have a rich history but have not reached the final four of Europe’s elite competition since 1982.

Last Meeting: N/A

This will be the first-ever competitive encounter between the two sides.

Predicted Lineups

PSG: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pacho, Beraldo, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola.

Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Onana, Tielemans; Rogers, Asensio, Rashford; Watkins.

Who is the referee?

Italian referee Maurizio Mariani will be the match official. Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni will assist him while Simone Sozza will be the fourth official. The VAR will be Marco Di Bello and he will be assisted by Luca Pairetto.