PSG vs. Aston Villa Prediction: First Leg Set for Parc des Princes

• Paris Saint-Germain upset the odds to eliminate Liverpool in the round of 16

• Aston Villa are living the dream as they target a place in the semi-finals 

• Who will come out on top when these two teams go at it in the first leg?

PSG vs. Aston Villa Odds

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PSG vs. Aston Villa Pick

Go for both teams to score when PSG host Aston Villa at the Parc des Princes. We expect both goalkeepers to be beaten on Wednesday.

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PSG Dreaming of European Glory for First Time in Their History

Could this finally be their year? Ever since Paris Saint-Germain were bought by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, winning the Champions League has been their ultimate ambition. Whereas Spanish sides have lifted the famous trophy 20 times, England has triumphed on 15 occasions, Italy has been responsible for 12 wins and Germany eight, there has been a French champion just once.

That was Marseille, PSG’s great rivals, back in 1993. The Parisians have come to dominate French domestic soccer, but for now their chief adversaries retain one significant bragging right. PSG finished as runners-up in 2020, but generally speaking there have been as many embarrassing exits as triumphant moments for the club in Europe over the last few years.

For a long time, the powers that be at the Parc des Princes believed that their best chance of achieving continental glory was by assembling a team of superstars. This recruitment policy culminated in a two-season period in which PSG lined up with a front three of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, undoubtedly one of the best attacking units of all time on paper.

The problem is, soccer is played on grass rather than paper. PSG’s top-heavy team left them unbalanced and incoherent, and that side underwhelmed in the latter stages of the Champions League. Neymar and Messi departed in 2023, before Mbappe followed last summer. That marked the end of the galactico project.

While PSG set about reconfiguring their squad around younger players and French talent, this was supposed to be a transitional campaign. Yet Luis Enrique’s side are suddenly among the favorites to win the Champions League. They were supremely impressive in eliminating Liverpool in the round of 16. Now they have Aston Villa in their sights.

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Aston Villa Fans Enjoying Every Minute of This Wonderful Season

Unlike PSG, Aston Villa have been crowned kings of the continent before. They triumphed in this competition in 1982, as Peter Withe’s goal midway through the second half gave them a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the final. Before this season, though, Villa had more recent experience with the Championship than the Champions League.

When PSG reached the final of this tournament five years ago, Villa finished 17th in the Premier League, narrowly avoiding relegation to the second flight. Two and a half years ago, when Unai Emery replaced Steven Gerrard as the club’s manager, Villa were once again worried about possible demotion.

With the help of ambitious owners above him, Emery has transformed the club’s fortunes in a short space of time. In his first full season at the helm, he led Villa to the Champions League via a fourth-place finish in the Premier League. And as their quarter-final berth shows, they have not merely made up the numbers at Europe’s top table.

Indeed, Villa finished above the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and PSG themselves by securing a top-eight place in the league phase. They then brushed aside Club Brugge in the round of 16, winning 6-1 on aggregate to set up this glamorous tie against PSG.

There are only a few weeks of 2024/25 remaining and this could still turn out to be one of Villa’s greatest ever seasons. They are in the mix for a top-five finish back home as they seek to qualify for the Champions League again. Villa are also through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they will face Crystal Palace later this month.

Finally, Europe. PSG are favourites in this quarter-final, but it would be foolish to write Emery’s team off.

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Goals on the Cards When PSG Do Battle With Aston Villa

Champions League knockout ties can be cagey affairs because the stakes are so high, but it is interesting to note that there were 18 goals in the quarter-final first legs last season, with all eight teams finding the back of the net. We expect both PSG and Aston Villa to score on Wednesday too. 

Luis Enrique’s side have hit their stride at the perfect time. It is hard to read too much into their Ligue 1 results given how dominant they are back home, but in their last 12 games in all competitions PSG have made the net bulge 41 times.

Villa also look to be coming on strong as we enter the business end of the campaign. They beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 at the weekend, making it seven wins on the bounce. Take note, too, that Emery’s men have scored in each of their last 12 fixtures across both domestic and continental soccer. 

This promises to be a compelling contest between two teams who are dreaming of European glory. On Wednesday at the Parc des Princes, offenses could come out on top against defenses. Go for both teams to score.

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How to Watch PSG vs. Aston Villa

• Teams: PSG vs. Aston Villa

• Location: Parc des Princes, Paris, France

• Date and Time: Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 15:00 PM ET 

• How to Watch: Paramount+