This is the return of the Champions League. After seducing Europe by eliminating Liverpool, the favorite of the competition, Paris Saint-Germain will find a less clicking opponent tomorrow evening: Aston Villa. On paper, all the bookmakers see the capital's club winning without problem in this double confrontation of the quarter -finals. What to fall into excess of confidence? Last season, PSG found itself in this kind of situation after eliminating FC Barcelona in the quarterfinals. The Parisians faced Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals and many saw them reach the final of Wembley without trembling. The rest, we know her.
Unsurprisingly, Luis Enrique therefore immediately calmed the most optimistic heat. For the Spaniard, surely aware of the excellent Villans course in the Premier League (4th last season, 7th two points from the 4th this season), it's 50-50. “It is equivalent. Faced with Liverpool, everyone said we had no chance. There are eight teams who deserved it and can go to the next round. On the road, there are many favorites eliminated. (…) Aston Villa is a large team. In the past two years, it has improved its level under the leadership of Emery ”he said at a press conference, before adding that the two teams had a similar profile.
“We look a lot alike”
“Over the season, we met various team profiles, I cannot say which is the worst profiles, because we have effectively managed these profiles. Aston Villa looks like ours with many versatile players, so it's hard to guess a starting team. It is a team that can play low block, group together in the middle. We are very similar, it is an open and complicated double confrontation for both teams. »» Ceased in England for its rapid transitions, will Emery's formation will however force Luis Enrique to review the positioning of some of his players to offensive profiles like Achraf Hakimi?
“I don't think it's the positioning of a player who can change things. Aston Villa is able to come out from behind, to manage the spaces well and has this ability to attack from the back to the front, they do it incredibly, they have players difficult to control. It will require an excellent defensive level on our part and great defensive efficiency. It is an important job to do tomorrow. That a player is more or less high it worries me less. (…) We cannot go to a quarter or half when you are not able to be at the high level throughout the tournament ”. You will understand, do not count on Luis Enrique to believe himself already qualified for the last square. Paris is more wary of Aston Villa.
