Which team gets home advantage in the second leg of the quarter-finals was actually decided at the time of the last-16 draw.

It certainly seems like a fair point Tom is making, though.

The Gunners finished third in the table and, if the last-16 ties had followed the seedings, they would have been playing Atletico, rather than Real Madrid, in the quarter-finals.

Yet Atletico finished fifth in the Champions League table and would have still been at home in the second leg of their last-eight tie, had they won through to face Arsenal.

Confused? We will have to refer you to Uefa to explain this one...

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal

Unlike Aston Villa, Arsenal have lesser games and lesser travelling to do in and around the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Real Madrid. Below are Arsenal's fixtures ahead of the tie against the Los Blancos and the game sandwiched between the two legs.

• Fulham in the Premier League (home)
• Everton in the Premier League (away)
• Real Madrid in the Champions League (home)
• Brentford in the Premier League (home)
• Real Madrid in the Champions League (away)

As aforementioned, what works in favour of Mikel Arteta's side is the lack of the travel around this time with three out of the five fixtures being played at home. However, none of these games are straightforward and with Nottingham Forest only four points away, Arteta and his players can ill-afford to drop more points in the league.

In 2006, the year Arsenal reached the Champions League final in Paris, they beat Real Madrid in the round of 16 on the way to get there.

A narrow 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium thanks to Thierry Henry in the first leg, followed a goalless draw at Highbury was enough to see them through.

Now nearly 20 years later, Arsenal will have to beat Madrid in the quarter-finals in hope of progressing further into the tournament.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

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Arsenal

Mikel Arteta was quizzed about what his side has learned from last season's exit to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

Arteta said: "Well, last year we played Bayern and with the history of those clubs and how consistent in the last 20, 25 years being there and we were right in there in the former game. We had them under the ropes, they escaped.

"And when we were there, we were a bit short to get that final stage. Hopefully, we'll learn. We are better than them. And we can make it happen."

Arsenal crashed out 3-2 on aggregate last season in the quarter-finals. This season, they play 15-time Champions League winners in Real Madrid.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Raheem Sterling's injury time yellow card that he picked up for a late tackle on Johan Bakayoko will see him miss the first leg of the quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.

Speaking to TNT Sports, he said: "I am still faithful that I have still got a big part to play. You can only control what you can control. I have not had as many minutes as I would have liked but I have had the opportunities.

"It is down to myself to keep knocking at the door. I believe within myself that I have a lot to play here, whether it is 10 minutes, 45 or a start. I just need to be ready and try and help the team as much as possible."

The first leg of the quarter-final against Madrid is set to be played at the Emirates Stadium on April 8, with the return leg set for April 16.

Arsenal

One of the highlights for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta last night was the performance of Raheem Sterling. With the tie all but decided in the first leg, Arteta had the luxury to rotate his team. Sterling got his chance and he proved that he can still be counted on at this level.

Arteta said: "I was very happy for him and for a lot of individuals as well that they haven't had a lot of minutes recently. You could tell in the second half that we lacked the physical capabilities to make certain efforts and arrive to certain spaces at the right time. But overall, very happy that they got the minutes and they responded.

"The way he tracked back as well to the corner in the last action when he got booked. That's the kind of play that we want to see."

Raheem Sterling became the first ever English player to be directly involved in at least one goal for four different clubs in the Champions League.

The England international has plied his trade with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and now Arsenal. Sterling recorded two assists last night against PSV as Arteta rotated his starting XI after the first leg demolition of the Dutch side.

But a great night turned sour just before the final whistle as the winger picked up a yellow card for a late challenge on Johan Bakayoko which means he will be suspended for the first leg against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta waxed lyrical about Arsenal's ability to reach two consecutive Champions League quarter-finals after his side demolished PSV 9-3 on aggregate.

Arteta said: "That tells you the difficulty of it. We have to value that and recognise that it is very difficult to do it. We've done it consistently and now we want to make the next step, which is going to be really difficult. But we are very capable of that."

Arsenal are now set to face 15-time champions Real Madrid in the last eight of the Champions League.

Image source, Getty Images

We'll continue reacting to last night's Champions League headlines, starting with Arsenal next.

Our attention will then turn to tonight's Europa League and Conference League games with Manchester United, Tottenham, Rangers and Chelsea all in action.

We're also set to hear from a few Premier League managers this afternoon. Graham Potter, Nuno Espirito Santo and Thomas Frank are all set to speak to the media.

In case you're just joining us for the day, then fear not, because here's a recap of the top stories so far:

• Aston Villa through to play PSG in quarter-finals
• Arsenal set up Real Madrid tie with big aggregate win over PSV
• Should Alvarez's penalty have been disallowed?
• Can Asensio play for Villa against parent club PSG?

You can watch all the goals from last night's Champions League games right here.

Aston Villa

In his first press conference as Aston Villa manager, Unai Emery said: "My dream is to win a trophy with Aston Villa, it's my personal challenge at the beginning. And my second dream, my objective could be to play with Aston Villa in Europe."

Aston Villa are into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. They're also into the last eight of the FA Cup.

Things might not have gone completely to plan in the Premier League this season but Villa (eighth) are only four points behind Chelsea who are in fourth place.

Emery has already achieved one of those dreams - bringing European football back to Villa Park. Could he achieve another?

Aston Villa are set to go up against the hottest team in Europe at the moment in Paris St-Germain in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. But their run-in towards that first leg could prove to be fatigue-inducing as Unai Emery's side play three games in a span of a six days leading up to that.

Below are the fixtures that Villa will have to push through coming out of the international break:

• Preston North End (a) - FA Cup
• Brighton (a)
• Nottingham Forest (h)

The first leg against PSG will be their fourth game in a span of 10 days with two of the three games leading up to it being away from home.

They also have to travel to Southampton in the Premier League; sandwiched between the quarter-final tie against PSG.

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa

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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says it will be fantastic to return to his former club Paris St-Germain for their Champions League quarter-final tie next month.

"To play against PSG is special because I didn’t go back since I left, either playing or visiting Paris. It will be fantastic," Emery said after Villa sealed their 6-1 aggregate win against Club Brugge.

Emery managed the Parisians between 2016 and 2018 and guided the club to a Ligue 1 title as well as two French Cups, two French League Cups and two Trophees des Champions.

"[PSG] showed their capacity against Liverpool, the best team in the Premier League, and it will be a very huge challenge for Villa, for the supporters and players and coaches and me as well," Emery said.

But when asked whether PSG was the best team in the competition, the Spaniard said: "Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, this is the level and we are in this level. We have to be proud."

Image source, Getty Images

Yes. Marco Asensio can face his parent club Paris St-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The 29-year-old moved from Parc des Princes on loan to Villa Park in February.

Uefa rules state clubs cannot apply "any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match".

Nedum Onuoha
Former Manchester City defender on the Football Daily podcast

I think in terms of Marcus Rashford's style of play, the direction that he's going, taking people on, the speed and that final ball, getting those assists for Marco Asensio, that stuff has been great.

Managing to get those two players in January while not playing much for their teams has come at an expense, but they had to be able to see the hunger to make their difference and it's worked out so well for them.