Aston Villa vs PSG LIVE: Latest rating and updates as hosts bid for Champions League comeback
Aston Villa are hoping to extend their Champions League campaign with a comeback victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-final second leg at Villa Park.
Unai Emery’s side trail 3-1 on aggregate after the first leg in Paris where Morgan Rogers opened the scoring for the midlands club before goals from Desire Doue, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes gave the French champions the advantage.
Villa have performed well at home in Europe this year but their task is a colossal one against a team that has won 17 of their previous 18 matches across all competitions. Their only defeat in that run was a 1-0 loss to Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie which they went on to win.
A 3-0 Premier League win over Southampton in between ties gives Villa some added confidence with Ollie Watkins, Donyell Malen and John McGinn are proving their worth in front of goal ahead of what will be a crucial test tonight.
Follow all the Champions League action with our live blog below:
Closing in on kick-off at Villa Park
Just 10 minutes until we get underway.
Aston Villa have 90 minutes to keep their Champions League dreams alive.
Under the lights of a vociferous Villa Park, expect Unai Emery’s men to come out swinging – but they’ll need to be sturdy at the back as well, with PSG coming here to take the game out of sight rather than simply protect their two-goal advantage.
We’ll have all the action and updates from the crucial Champions League clash, coming up.
PSG fans are not being kept quiet
Unai Emery will be eager for the 12th man to have a major impact – but before kick-off, this feels like a PSG home game.
The 2,300 travelling fans are deafening inside Villa Park.
Unai Emery gives pre-match thoughts
“We are motivated and we are excited,” Emery told Amazon Prime.
“We are in a really good momentum in the season. We are trying to get our best today and trying to get every energy.
“We have to try to play as best as possible. Now is the moment to watch the game.
“Every player is ready and every player has to be focused.”
Tonight shows just how far Aston Villa have come
Is this Aston Villa’s biggest game for 42 years? Arguably not, given the importance of the 2019 Championship play-off final. But it might be the most glamorous and is an indication of how far and how fast they have come.
They have the chance to go further, although a 3-1 deficit to perhaps the best team in Europe makes theirs a stiff test.
Unai Emery enters a reunion with Paris Saint-Germain without the on-loan PSG man, with Marco Asensio instead alongside Ollie Watkins on the bench.
Luis Enrique is blessed with his attacking options and prefers Bradley Barcola to Desire Doue, scorer of a great goal last week.
If Villa go down, they’ll go with a fight
One thing we can expect tonight is that Villa will give it absolutely everything, regardless of the outcome.
The fact they have won four of their Champions League home games, including against another European heavyweight in Bayern Munich, should give them confidence, scoring 10 goals along the way.
They have also scored in their last 14 matches, but their issue will be stopping their opponents from scoring too, who will come into this game looking to add to their advantage rather than sit back protect what they have.
Atmosphere building outside Villa Park
Unai Emery issues rallying cry for Aston Villa to ‘write history’ after past comeback heartbreak
Unai Emery was famously on the wrong side of one of the famous European comebacks – when Barcelona came from 4-0 down to beat his PSG side 6-1 in 2016/17.
Now up against the Parisiens, Emery hopes his new side can “write history” at Villa Park by slaying his former side.
“I have experiences of coming back, positively and negatively,” Emery said.
“But now it’s something different. We want to write the history with Aston Villa. Last year in the Conference League and this year in the Champions League and hopefully for a long time in Europe.”
PSG will not be intimidated by hostile atmosphere at Aston Villa, says Luis Enrique
“For us, it is always a pleasure to play and compete in a stadium like this, with so much history,” Enrique said.
“We love playing football. Our teams and supporters are accustomed to this. It is going to be a big match, there is certainly no problem with the atmosphere. It is a motivation, more than anything.
“The tie isn’t over, it is still open. It is going to be difficult. We are prepared to suffer if necessary to get our aim and win this match.”
