Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa

Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa are set to square off in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie at the Parc des Princes. 

Fresh off securing a record-extending 13th Ligue 1 title last weekend with a 1-0 win against Angers, Paris Saint-Germain switch their attention to their European commitments. An unprecedented treble remains a distinct possibility for Luis Enrique’s side ahead of the upcoming Coupe de France final next month. Lifting a maiden Champions League crown is an essential part of that complex equation as they meet Aston Villa in the quarter-finals. PSG went to great lengths to beat runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool in the previous knockout tie. However, quarter-finals have often been tricky for ‘Les Parisiens,’ as evidenced by their evenly-balanced record at this Champions League stage (W4, L4). On the bright side, they emerged victorious from their last three such ties. Furthermore, they head into proceedings on a run of 25 wins from 27 previous matches in all competitions (D1, L1).

In the meantime, Aston Villa must defy the odds to prevail in Paris but can take confidence from the fact PSG’s only defeat in that run came on this ground against fellow EPL rivals Liverpool in the last round. Traveling in high spirits, Unai Emery’s men solidified their top-four quest in the Premier League with a 2-1 home win against Nottingham Forest last weekend. However, they must make club history to beat the Paris giants, having never beaten French opposition on the road (D2, L3). On a positive note, the Lions have won four consecutive away matches across all competitions – more victories than on their previous 14 road trips combined.