Aston Villa manager Unai Emery remains optimistic about his team’s chances of reaching the Champions League semi-finals, despite a 3-1 first-leg defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
Villa took a surprise lead in the French capital through Morgan Rogers, but PSG responded with two outstanding goals from Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia either side of half-time. A late third from Nuno Mendes handed the Parisians a commanding advantage ahead of next Tuesday’s return leg at Villa Park.
Yet Emery, whose side have enjoyed a stellar run of form domestically and in Europe, remains confident they can turn things around on home soil.
“At 2-1 we were thinking about winning the next match, and even at 3-1, that hasn’t changed,” said the Spaniard. “We’re enjoying the experience, and I’m very proud of the players. We competed really well and were close to a good result.
“That goal at the end changes the scoreline, but not our mindset. Villa Park is our home, and we hope to be stronger there. Of course, they are favourites—they’ve shown their quality and individual brilliance.”
Villa arrived in Paris riding a wave of momentum, having won seven matches in a row across all competitions, bolstering their push for a top-four Premier League finish and an FA Cup semi-final appearance.
Now, they’ll need something truly special in Birmingham to keep their Champions League campaign alive.
“I’m not happy, of course, but I’m satisfied with how we played,” Emery added. “It’s special for us to be here in Paris playing a Champions League quarter-final. The second leg will be just as difficult at 3-1 as it would have been at 2-1. We know we have to win.”
Meanwhile, PSG boss Luis Enrique was full of praise for his side’s all-round display, insisting his team won’t sit back in the return leg.
“It was a match with a bit of everything, but we had control,” said the former Barcelona manager. “It’s always tough to break down a team that defends in a medium-to-low block, and they scored on a counter from pretty much their first real attack.
“But then ‘Des’ scored the equaliser, and after half-time, we deserved to score again. The third goal was the cherry on top.”
PSG’s goals were of the highest quality. Doué’s curling equaliser was spectacular, while Kvaratskhelia dazzled with a stunning solo run and finish. Mendes completed the win in stoppage time, rounding Emiliano Martínez following a precise through ball from Ousmane Dembélé.
PSG dominated the match statistically, enjoying 68 percent possession and registering 30 shots to Villa’s eight.
“I think the goal in added time reflects and rewards what we produced over 90 minutes,” said Enrique, who guided Barcelona to the Champions League title in 2015.
“In Birmingham, our aim is clear: to win again. We don’t know how to sit back and defend. We’ll try to dominate possession and create more chances than them, even if it’s tougher away.”
PSG will be boosted by the return of captain Marquinhos, who missed the first leg through suspension. The French champions, who sealed the Ligue 1 title last weekend, now benefit from a weekend off after their league fixture against Nantes was postponed.
Villa, on the other hand, must shift their focus back to the Premier League as they face Southampton away on Saturday.
