Aston Villa’s head coach Unai Emery remains optimistic that his team can overcome Paris Saint-Germain and secure a place in the Champions League semi-finals, despite suffering a 3-1 defeat in the first leg of their quarter-final match on Wednesday.
Villa took an early lead in Paris with a goal from Morgan Rogers in the first half, but the home team quickly changed the course of the match, courtesy of stunning goals from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia around half-time.
A late goal from Nuno Mendes in stoppage time has given PSG a two-goal advantage to carry back to Villa Park for the second leg, presenting Emery’s side with a daunting challenge to reverse the outcome.
“When it was 2-1, we were thinking positively about trying to win the next match, and even at 3-1, that mindset remains,” Emery commented.
“We are truly enjoying this experience, and I take great pride in the team’s efforts. We contested well and were close to achieving a favourable result.
“Ultimately, with that last goal, the situation remains quite similar.
“Villa Park is our fortress, and we hope to be stronger there. Although they are still the favourites, they’ve demonstrated their strength and individual talent.”
Villa arrived in the French capital on the back of seven consecutive wins across all competitions, enhancing their prospects for Champions League qualification next season and leading them to the FA Cup semi-finals.
However, it will likely necessitate a standout performance next Tuesday in Birmingham if they are to extend their Champions League campaign.
“While I’m not entirely happy, I do feel satisfied with the team’s performance. It’s a special occasion for us to compete in Paris at this stage of the Champions League,” Emery remarked.
“The second leg will remain just as challenging at 3-1 as it would have been at 2-1. We need to secure a victory.”
Outstanding Goals
In contrast, PSG manager Luis Enrique expressed his elation with his team’s performance, stating that PSG will not adopt a defensive approach in the second leg next Tuesday.
“The match had a bit of everything, but we maintained control,” noted the former Barcelona manager.
“It’s always tricky to break down a team sitting back and they managed to score during a counter-attack the first time they entered our penalty area.
“However, ‘Des’ levelled things up, and I felt we truly deserved to score additional goals and win. The third goal at the end was the perfect finale.”
The quality of PSG’s goals was outstanding, with Doue’s exquisite equaliser perhaps eclipsed by Kvaratskhelia’s remarkable individual strike.
Mendes then rounded Emiliano Martinez to secure the 3-1 scoreline, following a brilliant pass from Ousmane Dembele, completing PSG’s victory in a match where they enjoyed 68 per cent possession and had 30 shots on goal compared to Villa’s eight.
“The last-minute goal is a reflection of our effort over the 90 minutes,” remarked Luis Enrique, who lifted the Champions League trophy with Barcelona in 2015.
“Our objective in Birmingham is clear: we aim to win the game. We don’t believe in speculation or sitting back to defend deeply.
“We will strive to control the ball and attack more than our opponents. I have no doubt it will be tougher there, but that is our plan.”
PSG will welcome back captain Marquinhos in central defence for the return match after he missed the first leg due to suspension.
Having clinched the French title last Saturday, PSG will now have a weekend free to prepare for the second leg, following the postponement of their scheduled Ligue 1 match against Nantes.
Meanwhile, Villa will be travelling to Southampton for a Premier League clash on Saturday.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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