Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa: Betting Odds, Lineups, Predictions, Preview

Explore our detailed preview for Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa in the Champions League. Stats, odds, predictions, and lineups for the 20:00 BST match.

Aston Villa travel to Paris for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, facing a PSG side well-versed in this stage of the competition. While Villa’s last quarter-final appearance came in 1983, Paris are contesting their fourth in six seasons and are seeking a fourth straight victory at this level.

Both sides progressed through the round of 16 with strong showings. Paris edged past Liverpool on penalties after a tense 1-1 aggregate draw. Villa, meanwhile, swept aside Club Brugge with a dominant 6-1 performance over two legs.

This is the only quarter-final tie this season featuring two clubs who have never met in UEFA competition.

Fixture: Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa
Date: Wednesday, 9 April 2025
Kick-off: 20:00 (UK)
Venue: Parc des Princes, Paris

Paris are in excellent domestic and continental form, having won five of their last seven European matches over 90 minutes, and one on penalty kicks. They bounced back from a home loss to Liverpool with a penalty shootout triumph at Anfield, and have scored 14 goals in their last four competitive fixtures. The defeat against Liverpool at home was only their fourth in their last eight at Parc des Princes in European competition.

Unai Emery’s side are enjoying a remarkable continental run, combining control and clinical finishing. Back-to-back 3–0 and 3–1 wins over Club Brugge sealed progression, and their recent domestic form includes clean-sheet wins away to Brighton and Preston. Villa are unbeaten in seven competitive games, and their performance in Paris will test a side yet to win away in France in European competition.

Luis Enrique will likely favour a fluid 4-3-3 formation with heavy emphasis on vertical passing and wide combinations. Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes offer attacking width from full-back, while Vitinha and Joao Neves maintain control in midfield. Ousmane Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia stretch the opposition, while Doue or Barcola provide support between lines.

Paris rely on mobility and overloads to unpick defences but can struggle when pressed aggressively in central areas. Their threat on the break remains potent, particularly down the right with Hakimi and Dembélé.

• Key strengths: Transitions, wide combinations, individual quality in 1v1s
• Key concerns: Vulnerability in midfield under pressure, recent home form vs English sides
  

Unai Emery’s 4-2-3-1 is grounded in compact defensive organisation and calculated attacking phases. The midfield pivot of Kamara and Tielemans offers control and verticality, with Asensio and Rashford breaking wide. Watkins leads the line, supported by Rogers in advanced midfield roles. Emery’s side are well-drilled and effective in forcing turnovers and breaking through second phases.

They are comfortable without the ball, defending in a mid-block and springing forward when opportunities arise. Set pieces and crossing zones remain key attacking weapons.

• Key strengths: Defensive shape, pressing triggers, composure in transitions
• Key concerns: No wins in France historically, depth of European knockout experience
  

This will be the first ever competitive meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa. PSG have extensive recent experience against English sides, having faced Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal in the last three seasons. Villa, meanwhile, last faced Ligue 1 opposition in the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals last season, defeating Lille on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

PSG will look to control tempo early, using their full-backs to pin Villa deep and create space for midfield progression. The onus will be on early control and wide isolations, particularly down the right.

Villa will aim to remain compact and frustrate Paris in the middle third. Their priority will be absorbing pressure, then targeting the space behind Paris’s advancing full-backs with diagonal switches and the pace of Rashford and Watkins. A draw or away goal would mark a significant step ahead of the return leg in Birmingham.

• PSG have won only six of their last 20 matches against English opposition.
• Villa have never won away to a French club in European competition.
• Achraf Hakimi has registered five assists in this season’s Champions League.
• Marquinhos leads the competition in ball recoveries with 91.
• Unai Emery previously managed PSG, winning seven domestic trophies across two seasons.
  

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.