Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups and Team News | UEFA Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa Preview

Tournament: UEFA Champions League

Date: 9 April, 2025

Kick-off time: 19:00 PM GMT

Venue: Parc Des Princes stadium, Paris

Paris Saint-Germain look to continue their impressive heroics in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League when they host an unpredictable Aston Villa side at the Parc des Princes for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. The Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa clash takes place on April 9, 2025.

Luis Enrique's side are flying high on momentum and are on top of the world after having clinched the 2024/25 Ligue 1 championship. They won the league title with six matches to spare, meaning their entire focus can now be on going all the way in the Champions League.

PSG are unbeaten in Ligue 1 this season, having won 23 of their 28 matches and picked up 74 points. They've had a bit of a rollercoaster of a ride in the UEFA Champions League. The French giants lost three games in the league phase, finishing in 15th place. However, they thrashed Stade Brest by a 10-0 aggregate in the playoffs before picking up a huge 1-1 (4-1 on aggregate) win over Liverpool in the Round of 16, defeating them at Anfield!

The French side are heading into this game on a six-match winning run (across all competitions). They have scored 19 goals in those games and have 25 goals in 12 Champions League matches this season. They'll look to continue with their aggressive, attack-minded approach to put the Villans to the sword and gain a big advantage heading into the second leg.

For Unai Emery's side, this clash will be more where they seek damage control before the tie at Villa Park. Aston Villa have won their last seven straight games, scoring 17 goals. They have impressed in Europe this season, winning seven of their 10 games and having scored 19 goals!

The sixth-place Premier League side will, however, look to be wary of PSG's threat. Unai Emery looks to outwit his former side by ensuring his side maintains an impenetrable defensive line and frustrate them with strong defending. He'll also need his rapid forwards to be clinical in counter-attacks to get a positive result from Paris.

Paris Saint-Germain Team News

Kang-in Lee is currently out of action for PSG after having sustained a foot injury. Marquinhos is suspended for this leg. PSG were crowned champions of Ligue 1 recently.

Aston Villa Team News

Aston Villa will be without midfielder Ross Barkley (knee injury). They might, however, have Leon Bailey back in the squad for this one. They will look to upset the hosts with a tough performance.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa Predicted Lineups

Paris Saint-Germain Predicted Lineup (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Lucas Beraldo, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes

Midfielders: Vitinha, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz

Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Aston Villa Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez

Defenders: Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne

Midfielders: Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn

Forwards: Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey, Marcus Rashford

Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa Head-to-Head record

This is the first time that Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa will ever play against each other in their history. The Parisians have won 10 of their 31 matches played against English opponents in their history.

Key Players to watch in Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa

Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain)

Ousmane Dembele's best form has been unlocked by Luis Enrique at PSG this season. In 2025, he has scored 25 goals, out of which seven have come in the UEFA Champions League.

The Frenchman has a 7.20 xG (expected goals) in the Champions League this season, scoring seven goals. He is averaging 5.1 shots per game, tormenting teams with his powerful final product. Dembele will look to use his blistering pace and newfound ruthless finishing skills to disrupt Villa's defensive shape and continue his rich goal-scoring form.

Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)

Emiliano Martinez will be the villain of the night as shares a hostile relationship with the French fans after excelling in Argentina's win over France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. The 32-year-old has five clean sheets in 10 Champions League matches in the 2024/25 season, averaging 3.6 saves per game.

With PSG guaranteed to go with an all-out attack approach and likely to blast many shots on goal, Martinez will play a crucial role for Villa. He needs to be at his sharpest in making timely saves, cut out the crosses and frustrate the hosts at the Parc des Princes. He'll need to be at his best for Villa to take a positive result to the second leg and keep the deficit at a bare minimum.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa Prediction

Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa are both heading into this game in dominant form, with the two sides having won their last five games in compelling fashion. PSG, however, are flying high on confidence after their Ligue 1 win and also because of their win over Liverpool in the Round of 16.

The Villans have had a shaky away form this season, losing two of their three games on the road in the Champions League. PSG's forward line, especially the blistering Ousmane Dembele, will probably prove to be too powerful for Aston Villa in this one. With the added boost from their home fans, PSG should produce a thrilling performance and get the advantage in the first leg.

Prediction: PSG 2-0 Aston Villa

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