PSG ‘request granted’ ahead of Champions League tie in blow to Aston Villa
Paris Saint-Germain have been handed a major boost ahead of facing Aston Villa in next month’s Champions League quarter-finals.
Villa booked their spot in the last eight by convincingly dispatching Belgian side Club Brugge 6-1 on aggregate over two legs.
Meanwhile, PSG required a penalty shootout at Anfield last Tuesday (11 March) in order to get the better of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Villa travel to Paris on 9 April for the first leg of their quarter-final, while Luis Enrique’s side are set to cross the channel for the return leg six days later.
PSG’s fixture cancellation request approved ahead of Villa test
The Ligue 1 leaders have requested for their away trip to Nantes on 13 April to be cancelled, as it falls a few days before the second leg of their clash with Unai Emery’s men.
| Opponent | Result |
| Cardiff (H) | 2-0 W |
| Club Brugge (A) | 1-3 W |
| Brentford (A) | 0-1 W |
| Club Brugge (H) | 3-0 W |
PSG’s request was initially refused, which would have handed Villa a clear advantage, as Enrique’s side could have headed to England while still recovering from their Ligue 1 clash.
However, a fresh report from Ouest France has now revealed that PSG’s trip to Nantes has been postponed until 22 April, which is a blow to Villa’s chances of progressing to the Champions League semi-finals.
PSG will present Villa with their biggest Champions League test yet
Aston Villa have proven they are deserving of their place on the top table of European football, despite the fact that last season’s Premier League top-four finish came as a surprise.
Since plying their trade in the Champions League, Villa have proven that they are capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the giants of the European game, and even defeated Bundesliga behemoths Bayern Munich back in October.
Emery’s men then cruised their way through to the quarter-finals with a 3-1 away win over Club Brugge, followed by a 3-0 home victory in the last 16.
But PSG are set to provide an even trickier test, and they showed just how dangerous they are when they knocked Premier League leaders Liverpool out of the competition.
Villa will have to be at their very best in order to get the better of a PSG side who appear intent on winning their first ever Champions League title.