Ahead of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Aston Villa at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday 9th April (9pm), we take a closer look at Paris Saint-Germain's upcoming European clash. We look at the road taken to get here, the dynamics and the players to watch, and give you an overview of the mouth-watering challenge awaiting our Rouge et Bleu against the in-form Villans.
A look back at the path taken
After an excellent league campaign, during which the English side beat Bayern Munich (1-0) and RB Leipzig (2-3) after holding off Juventus (0-0), Aston Villa qualified directly for the last 16 of the competition by securing a place in the top eight. A remarkable performance, and a seeded role fully assumed against Club Brugge in the previous round, with a win in Belgium in the first leg (1-3) before a scathing victory in the return leg at Villa Park (3-0). All of which further underlines the Birmingham club's return to the forefront of European football.
Paris Saint-Germain got off to a less glorious start to the league phase, but back-to-back wins over Salzburg (0-3), Manchester City (4-2) and Stuttgart (1-4) eventually allowed the club from the capital to reach the play-offs. During this stage, the Rouge et Bleu shone against Brest, with a big away win (0-3) followed by a memorable result at the Parc des Princes (7-0). In the Round of 16, the Parisians then met 1st place from the league phase: Liverpool. After an epic double-header, Paris overturned all predictions to claim a historic qualification on penalties at Anfield!
Dynamics in numbers
Opposing forces
Unai Emery and his team mainly play a 4-2-3-1 system. In goal, Emiliano MartÃnez will obviously be a major asset for his side. Acknowledged as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, the Argentinian international will be able to call on an excellent central defensive pairing in Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings. The partnership between the two England internationals has worked wonders, and the latter's return to his best form has even forced Spanish international Pau Torres to the bench. On the right side of defence, meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Axel Disasi or Matty Cash will start against the Parisians.
Although the French international offers more defensive assurance, his Polish counterpart could still be preferred to him. On the opposite flank, there is stiff competition between two full-backs with undeniable quality: Ian Maatsen and Lucas Digne. The French international, who played for Paris Saint-Germain between 2013 and 2015, seems to be a step ahead of his team-mate. In midfield, Boubacar Kamara, another France international, is expected to take to the Parc des Princes pitch. Now a key figure for the Lions, he could feature alongside Youri Tielemans (3 goals and 7 assists in all competitions this season), who has also played in Ligue 1.
The former Monaco man, who has a more attacking profile that complements Kamara's style of play, is likely to be preferred to his Belgian compatriot Amadou Onana. The Dakar native, who arrived from Everton last summer, is continuing to make inroads in the Premier League and could be a valuable player for his side. It remains to be seen in which position the Villans' iconic captain John McGinn (2 goals, 4 assists) will play. It could be as a playmaker, a role that also suits Morgan Rogers (13 goals, 11 assists), a real rising star in his team, but also likely to start on the left wing. That is the strength of Aston Villa, who can rely on the versatility of their attacking players to adapt to any opponent.
If Rogers were to take his place on the left flank, it would mean that Marcus Rashford (10 goals, 7 assists) would have the onerous task of replacing the excellent Ollie Watkins (14 goals, 12 assists), who has looked out of sorts in recent weeks, up front. Whether or not Aston Villa's attacking leader starts will therefore determine the face of their forward line, which will in any case be without Donyell Malen, who arrived this winter from Borussia Dortmund and failed to qualify for the competition. In the absence of Leon Bailey, who is not yet physically fit, Jacob Ramsey (4 goals, 5 assists) could start on the right flank. Marco Asensio (8 goals and 1 assist in 11 appearances), on loan from the capital club, is expected to make an appearance, in the super sub role that he so enjoys.
