'We believe in Villa Park' - can Emery's men rescue tie?
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says his team "believe in Villa Park" and the potential for home comforts to energise them, but can the Premier League side really stage a comeback to reach the Champions League semi-finals?Paris St-Germain hold a two-goal lead at the halfway stage of their quarter-final tie against Villa after a convincing 3-1 win in France.The French champions will be heavy favourites to progress to the last four when the two meet again in Birmingham next Tuesday night (20:00 BST).But Villa are unbeaten in front of their own fans this season in the Champions League - even recording a home league phase win over six-time winners Bayern Munich.In fact, the Premier League side have 11 wins and six draws from their past 17 home games in all competitions, a run which stretches back to last autumn."We will play at home next week and it will be a huge challenge for us, but we will feel strong at home with our supporters at Villa Park," said Emery."We believe in our supporters, we believe in Villa Park and that the players can get the best performance next week."Emery's players remain equally optimistic."The manager spoke in there and he said 'it is only half-time'," defender Matty Cash told BBC Radio 5 Live."At home we are really strong. We are more than capable to score two or three goals at home."Villa's goalscorer Morgan Rogers - who gave them the lead at the Parc des Princes - told TNT Sports: "There's loads of belief in the changing room."We have nothing to lose, nobody thought we'd win the tie in the first place. Why not just go for it?"
'Massively' in PSG's favour but job not done yet
So, what chance do Villa have of hauling themselves back into this tie and even winning it?It should be noted that similar comebacks have been achieved before.Nine teams have been exactly two goals down after an away leg in a knockout Champions League tie and managed to successfully turn things around at home.The most recent to do that were Juventus, who lost 2-0 at Atletico Madrid in the 2018-19 last-16 stage but won their second leg 3-0.Paris St-Germain have twice surrendered two-goal leads at the halfway stage of a Champions League knockout tie - the most of any club. It occurred for them against Chelsea in 2013-14 and against Manchester United in 2018-19.Famously, PSG once surrendered a four-goal first-leg advantage against Barcelona, winning 4-0 at home but losing 6-1 at the Nou Camp.That happened in 2016-17 when the French side were managed by Emery, and when PSG's current boss Luis Enrique was in charge of Barcelona.Could the comeback roles be reversed this time? The prospects look slim.Paris St-Germain have been formidable on the road this season, winning 15 of their past 17 away games in all competitions.Defenders Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe are the only two players from the PSG squad who were stunned by Barcelona eight years ago who are still at the club.Former England defender Stephen Warnock believes PSG's tie with Villa is "massively" in the French side's favour."In the first leg PSG were hoping to draw them out of defence and almost give them false hope by leaving spaces for them to attack into," Warnock told BBC Sport."Villa are going to have the same problem in the second leg too, especially with the score at 3-1."Now they will have to go at them, which opens up the game for PSG on the break. If Villa were 2-1 down they could stick with the way they played in the first half on Tuesday, knowing they can nick a goal and level the tie."Sensibly, those in the PSG camp have stressed the quarter-final is far from finished.Head coach Luis Enrique told TNT Sports it will be "difficult" for his team at Villa Park, and goalscorer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The job is not finished."
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