'Conditions will be perfect' but Villa can expect 'hostile atmosphere'
- Published
Aston Villa's fans are already starting to arrive in the Paris sunshine around Parc des Princes.
There is a real sense of anticipation and expectation among Villa supporters as they take the next step on their Champions League journey in the quarter-final first leg against Paris St. Germain.
PSG are favourites after beating Manchester City in the new league table format then knocking out Liverpool in the last 16 – but hope lies with their manager and European specialist Unai Emery.
Emery won the Europa League three times in succession with Sevilla and once with Villarreal, who he also took to the Champions League semi-final in 2022.
And his old adversary, PSG coach Luis Enrique, will be wary of Emery's ability to navigate the European stage.
Conditions will be perfect here in Paris and Villa will find out, as Manchester City and Liverpool did before them, that PSG are experts at creating a hostile atmosphere as Emery tries to fashion a result that will give his side hope for the second leg at Villa Park.