Credit: Imago/ talkSPORT

Dan Godfrey

Wed 16 April 2025 8:52, UK

Aston Villa were one moment away from serving Paris Saint-Germain one of the all-time great Champions League comebacks on Tuesday night.

Having slipped to a 5-1 aggregate deficit, it seemed a formality from there on, until goals from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ezri Konsa swung the pendulum of momentum right back Villa’s way.

Unfortunately, Luis Enrique’s side survived the remainder of the storm – including key chances for both Konsa and their own player Marco Asensio – to meet either Arsenal or Real Madrid in the semi-finals.

Gabby Agbonlahor makes comment as Unai Emery benches star

Emery came toe-to-toe with his former side once again but Tuesday simply provided Aston Villa too much to do after PSG’s first-half double.

While the Villans were inches away from a potentially historic night, Emery’s team selection was widely discussed – notably the decision to start Marcus Rashford up front instead of Ollie Watkins.

Watkins was rather brought on with Villa needing a goal in place of loanee Rashford with just 15 minutes to go.

Former claret and blue star Gabby Agbonlahor had apparently told Alan Brazil that he wanted to see the back of Watkins – though this was a mere tongue-in-cheek comment due to the goals record he is hanging onto by a thread.

Agbonlahor has a total of 87 senior Aston Villa goals, 74 in the Premier League, while Watkins is one short in the league and wanted to equal the record by taking the second penalty missed by Asensio against Southampton last Saturday (12 April).

“Gabby wants rid of him, Gabby wants him out,” Brazil told Ally McCoist live on talkSPORT (16 April, 06:11).

“Ollie’s still one behind Gabby, isn’t he?”

McCoist initially looked puzzled, then caught on: “Oh, so he is, you’re winding me up here. I forgot about that. He’s one behind him – that’s happening, don’t worry about that. That’s happening very, very soon.”

Aston Villa make shock decision on Watkins

Many Aston Villa supporters were shocked by Emery’s call to bench Watkins, especially after the same had been the case at Southampton and his introduction changed the game.

His signature runs in behind were simply too hot to handle for a fragile Saints defence, on whom the floodgates eventually opened due to the unleashing of the 29-year-old England man.

Rashford turned in an influential performance against the Parisians, against whom he has previous in the Champions League while at Manchester United. However, to exclude Watkins was a real shock.

Emery is rigid to his shape, that’s a given. But even still, with Villa desperately needing a goal, Watkins wasn’t brought on until the 76th minute.

The head coach clearly felt that to have Rashford and Watkins simultaneously on the park would disrupt the functionality of that shape, similarly to the way Watkins and Jhon Duran only ever sporadically played together.

Aston Villa will unfortunately not be in Munich this year. But Watkins’ head will be on Mars. Time to keep channelling that into the type of performances which will secure another crack at the Champions League next term.