Fresh from clinching their 13th Ligue 1 title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Angers, Paris Saint-Germain now shifts its focus to the European stage. The team is set to host Aston Villa at the iconic Parc des Princes for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Previous Round Highlights
In the last round, PSG demonstrated remarkable resilience against Liverpool. After suffering a rare defeat at home, Luis Enrique's squad bounced back impressively at Anfield, leveling the aggregate score. They secured their place in the quarter-finals with a flawless performance in the penalty shootout, where Gianluigi Donnarumma emerged as the standout performer. The goalkeeper saved two penalties from Liverpool, while PSG confidently converted all four of their own attempts.
Match Details
- Location: Parc des Princes, Paris, France
- Date: Wednesday, April 9
- Kick-Off Time: 3:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CET
Team News
For PSG, Lee Kang-in is currently unavailable due to injury, and the team will also miss their captain, Marquinhos, who is suspended for this fixture. Luis Enrique opted to rest key players such as Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembele during the title-deciding match against Angers, and they are expected to return to the starting lineup for this crucial encounter.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, will see Marco Asensio, currently on loan from PSG, face his former club. He has been in impressive form, scoring eight goals in just 11 appearances for Villa. However, Leon Bailey is a doubt due to injury but has been participating in full training sessions and could make an appearance. Ross Barkley will be absent, leaving manager Unai Emery to choose between John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara, both fit to start.
Predicted Line-Ups
Paris Saint-Germain:
- Goalkeeper: Donnarumma
- Defenders: Hakimi, Beraldo, Pacho, Mendes
- Midfielders: Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz
- Forwards: Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola
Aston Villa:
- Goalkeeper: Martinez
- Defenders: Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne
- Midfielders: Kamara, Tielemans
- Forwards: McGinn, Asensio, Rogers, Rashford
Match Prediction
The initial 30 minutes of the match will likely be crucial. If Aston Villa can withstand PSG's attacking pressure, they may find ways to frustrate their opponents. However, this is a significant step up in competition for Villa, and PSG is expected to capitalize on their chances. A predicted scoreline is PSG 3, Aston Villa 1.
Zainab Y.
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