
Live Aston Villa vs PSG: Lineups and latest updates from Champions League
The last time Villa Park hosted a European Cup quarter-final was March 2 1983, three days before Kajagoogoo's Too Shy was knocked off top spot in the music charts by Billie Jean.
The then holders were defeated by Juventus, and Aston Villa have been waiting a long time for a night of this magnitude to come around again. Conceding a late third goal to Paris St-Germain in the first leg is unlikely to subdue the buoyant atmosphere, but it was a bitter blow to Villa's hopes of progressing further in the competition.
This is the first of four pivotal games in Villa's run-in, with league fixtures against Newcastle and Man City preceding an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
PSG had the benefit of no league game at the weekend, but Villa enjoyed the next best thing by playing Southampton who were easily dispatched. Ollie Watkins scored a brilliant finish at St Mary's, and is knocking on the door for a start tonight after Unai Emery plumped for Marcus Rashford in Paris.
With Villa chasing goals, there is a case for both players starting but it looks an uphill battle against a PSG unit who have delivered the strongest collective performances in the competition.
Luis Enrique's team are strengthened by the return of captain Marquinhos from suspension, with Fabian Ruiz at risk of missing the semi-final first leg if he picked a yellow.
PSG's midfield axis of Joao Neves and Vitinha have been outstanding throughout their Champions League run, but Villa have the running power to challenge them running back towards their own goal.
If they can get the ball that is: Vitinha played 141 passes in the first leg, the most by a PSG player in a Champions League match on record, and second only to Xavi for Barcelona against Chelsea in 2012.
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