15 April 2025 8:01pm
8:01PM Villa get the game started, and they will be attacking the Holte End at Villa Park in the first half. The rain is teeming down.
8:00PM It seems inevitable that the battle between Villa’s Matty Cash and PSG winger Kvicha Kvaratskhelia will be as pivotal as last week’s first leg.
‘Kvaradona’ certainly came out on top in Paris, forcing an early booking for Cash which led to the defender’s substitution at half-time.
Cash’s replacement Axel Disasi did not fare any better, and Kvaratskhelia is unquestionably the PSG danger man here tonight.
Prince William is here and will be hoping that Unai Emery has come up with a strategy to pull off what will be one of the shock results of this year’s Champions League.
7:59PM Perhaps in honour of Unai Emery’s success in the competition, the Europa League theme tune plays as the teams line up. It does not go unnoticed among the players, with Ezri Konsa sharing a laugh with Youri Tielemans.
7:36PM We are motivated and we are excited.
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.
7:32PM Away from Aston Villa, it will be impossible to take your eyes off PSG tonight.
With manager Luis Enrique in pursuit of what represents the Holy Grail to the club’s super-ambitious owners, PSG have a number of outstanding talents.
Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, the Georgia genius also known as Kvaradona, and teenage sensation Désiré Doué were both excellent in the first leg.
Ousmane Dembélé is also a huge threat while Vitinha, previously of Wolves, is the king of composure in midfield.
How do Villa combat so many threats? Meticulous Unai Emery will have been burning the midnight oil in a bid to find a solution.
The decision to start Marcus Rashford ahead of Ollie Watkins has certainly raised some eyebrows, despite the Manchester United loanee’s past CV.
7:20PM There was an expectation that Ollie Watkins would get the nod up front, but Emery has stuck with Rashford, who has a happy knack of scoring against PSG but was quiet last week.
Amadou Onana, Villa’s £50 million summer purchase, has been nursed back from injury but starts tonight rather than the more attack-minded Jacob Ramey.
Onana will play deeper in Villa’s midfield alongside Kamara, with McGinn and Tielemans making up a box higher up. Morgan Rogers will play in a roving attacking role, but is also a central midfielder by trade.
It is an engine room full of guile, strength and technique. Emery has picked a team to get to grips with Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz; fabulous players who can perhaps be ruffled physically.
It means Emery can call upon Watkins, Bailey, Asensio and Ramsey as attacking changes from the bench if required.
7:14PM Aston Villa have not operated in what is now the Champions League since 1983, but have taken to it impressively.
At times, they have looked like seasoned European veterans as the wins over Bayern Munich, Bologna, RB Leipzig, Celtic and Club Brugge underline.
Villa Park has also been a venue deserving of these stellar nights, with pre-match fireworks, tifos and light shows.
Before kick-off the atmosphere outside this historic stadium has been electric. When the game starts, expect the noise levels to be deafening.
Scarves have been placed on seats to try and make this game as partisan as possible.
Half-and-half scarves were on sale in the streets, which gives me the opportunity to pose an important question:
A waste of wool, or worthwhile memorabilia?
