PSG v Aston Villa preview: Team news, lineups, betting odds, prediction
Aston Villa will be hopeful of a positive result as they prepare to face PSG in the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday night.
The Villans secured their seventh consecutive win in all competitions last time out against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen proved to be the difference at Villa Park and now attentions turn to a clash at the Parc Des Princes on 9 April.
Unai Emery will be keen on securing a positive result against his former side with a place in the final four of the Champions League on the line.
PSG v Aston Villa preview
There is no doubt that Villa are in their strongest phase of the season so far and won’t want that to end any time soon.
The win against Forest last time out has left the Villans two points off fourth place and a Champions League place for next campaign.
With that being said, the thought of the new year will be on the backburner for the quarter-final clash against the Ligue 1 giants.
This is set to be one of the most difficult games of the season for the B6 club against a side who were fantastic over two legs against Liverpool.
The Parisians have lost just one game since November and won’t want that record to be worsened as Villa rock up to the Parc Des Princes.
PSG v Aston Villa team news
Against Nottingham Forest, Villa were able to rotate heavily and still secure a huge three points against one of the standout sides in the league this season.
This has been made possible by a lack of injury and fitness issues within the squad at Bodymoor Heath after a difficult campaign full of injuries until this point.
The West Midlands outfit are still set to be without two first-team players as Leon Bailey and Ross Barkley could miss out once again.
| PSG injury and suspension list | Aston Villa injury and suspension list |
| Kang-In Lee | Ross Barkley |
| Marquinhos | Leon Bailey |
Enrique will also be without two of his stars as Kang-In Lee looks set to miss out with a sprained ankle, last featuring in mid-March for PSG.
Marquinhos will also be absent in the Champions League through suspension after picking up a yellow card against Liverpool in the last European outing.
Predicted lineups
PSG: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Hernandez, Pacho, Mendes, Vitinha, Neves, Zaire-Emery, Kvaratskhelia, Doue, Dembele
Aston Villa: Martinez, Disasi, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Rashford, Watkins
Betting Odds
PSG: 2/5
Draw: 15/4
Aston Villa: 13/2
(All odds according to Bet365 as of 7 April).
Prediction: PSG 1-1 Aston Villa
It is going to be a very difficult night for the Villans against one of the most improved sides in Europe this campaign.
Keeping the scores down has to be the most important thing for Emery ahead of a second leg clash at Villa Park on Tuesday (15 April).
As a result, a more defensive-minded set-up with a counter-attacking forward line could prove to be useful at the Parc Des Princes.
This could see Rogers and Rashford have a telling impact in claret and blue and it will certainly be interesting to see if Villa can keep the Parisians out.
That may not be possible but as long as the scoreline stays within reason, Villa can consider it a positive night in the French capital.