Champions League: Can Villa Extend Their Champions League Adventure?

Aston Villa vs PSG

Aston Villa’s impressive Champions League campaign looks like it might just be coming to and end this week, but Unai Emery’s Villans have one more chance to keep the dream alive.

Drawn against Paris Saint-Germain for their quarter finals Unai Emery’s team know they had a tough task, and it became harder as the Parisiens scored late to bring a 3-1 first leg lead over the Birmingham. But of all last week’s Champions League 2025 results, this was the one which looked like it was going against the odds when Morgan Rogers gave Villa a shock lead, though the unrest at the Parc des Princes soon lifted as strikes from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia turned the first leg on its head.

It did look like the tie was still in the balance until Nuno Mendes tipped the odds firmly in the Ligue 1 giants’ favour with a late third. PSG have already dumped Liverpool out of the tournament and they look odds on favourites to take another English scalp, after they rained 29 shots down on the Villa goals in Paris, keeper Emiliano Martinez keeping the Villans in the tie. 

Luis Enrique’s team has one foot in the semi-finals; but they can expect one big last push from Emery’s men at a packed and noisy Villa Park on Tuesday.   

 

Talking Points

Aston Villa are full of goals

Automatic qualifiers for the Round of 16 after finishing eighth in the 36 team league, Villa went on to beat Club Brugges 6-1 on aggregate in the knockout stage and they have had no problem scoring goals at home and abroad, with 15 from their last six outings. The Midlands Clarets played away to relegated Southampton on Saturday and, after a frustrating first half, they swept the Saints away as three substitutes, Ollie Watkins, Donyell Malen and John McGinn were all on target.

The return of key players has boosted Villa and Watkins looked as sharp as ever, winning a penalty which Marco Asensio missed, and then scoring the opener with a brilliant strike. Youri Tielemens put the England man in for his goal and he, alongside Rogers, has provided great support to the front men and are sure fire starters on Tuesday, with Watkins likely to lead the attack.   

Emery was defiant after the loss in Paris last week, saying: “It was more or less the expectations I had before the match. Maybe there is not a lot of difference between 2-1 and 3-1. We will play at home next week and it will still be a huge challenge for us, but we will feel strong at home with our supporters at Villa Park. Even when we were losing 2-1 we had three approaches in their box. More or less we are right in our momentum to be close to a result.”      

 

Enrique promises more of the same

PSG have already retained their Ligue 1 title, with six games to spare and the latest Champions League 2025 betting odds, here at SBOTOP, have installed the French side as third favourites to lift the trophy, behind Barcelona and Arsenal. And manager Enrique has promised a positive approach when his team steps out in Birmingham, saying: “It’s important to believe in ourselves and the three goals were great, a lot of quality. We’re happy with the result. It will be difficult but we will try to play the same way – it’s in our DNA.”

The Parisiens have one of the most destructive strikers in the competition, in Ousmane Dembele, who has seven Champions League goals, but two young stars dominated the headlines after the first leg victory. 19-year-old Doue scored a stunning goal to level just before the break and Georgian wing wizard Kvaratskhelia put in a spectacular effort soon after half time. The January recruit is recapturing his Napoli form of their Scudetto winning season in 2023 and Kvaratskhelia is fast becoming a fan favourite in Paris.         

 

History

Paris Saint-Germain are yet to break through the glass ceiling of Europe, the closest they came was in their 2020 final defeat to Bayern Munich. But they have won the French top flight 13 times, 11 of those titles captured since the club’s takeover by the Qatar Sports Investments in 2011.

Aston Villa have won the English top division seven times, though six of those triumphs were over a century ago. The Villans did win the league again in 1981 and then followed that up by becoming champions of Europe in 1982; so they have that claim over their mega-rich opponents.  

This match is only the second meeting between Villa, who are unbeaten in 17 home games and PSG, who are unbeaten in 17 games on the road. Is something going to give on Tuesday?  

 

Betting Tip

With Paris Saint-Germain priced at 2.20 and Villa at 2.92 this leg is certainly in the balance and, should the hosts score early Villa Park will be rocking. But I think Enrique’s team will see the tie out; and for a correct score-line, a 1-1 draw is available at odds of 6.56. 

   

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