Image source, BBC Sport

We've been doing a deep dive on Paris St-Germain's 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Parc des Princes last night, bringing you all the reaction, analysis and numbers from the game.

But now is a good time to zoom out and look at how things stand in this season's Champions League after the first legs of the quarter-finals were played out over the last couple of days.

The standout performance from the last-eight matches has been Arsenal's as the Gunners posted a 3-0 win against Spanish giants Real Madrid at the Emirates on Tuesday.

Inter Milan also secured a 2-1 win at Bayern Munich to take a significant advantage to the San Siro while Barcelona have all but guaranteed a place in the semi-finals after a 4-0 thrashing of last season's runners-up Borussia Dortmund.

Just joining? It's been a feast of football all day, all week - and here's what we've been chatting about so far:

• PSG are 'thriving' in their post-superstars era as they beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg but Villa manager Unai Emery still believes in turning things around
• We've seen some utter quality this week; ridiculous goals, 10/10 performances - have a watch of the Champions League highlights here
• Is it set for an Arsenal v PSG and Barcelona v Inter semi-final? That's what we're looking at next - who are the favourites? Are Arsenal too strong for PSG in a potential semi-final?

Get in touch using the usual methods and have your say.

Ian Taylor
Former Aston Villa midfielder speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Playing in front of your home crowd, the European nights at Villa Park this season have been fantastic, and the atmosphere has been unreal.

So I'm looking forward to another really, really good night. But it is going to be difficult, because obviously we have to try and get an early goal and try and keep them out as well. We saw what they did at Liverpool and what they're capable of.

But no, we've just got to go out there, give 100%, give a really good go, and just send the fans home happy and proud of the team.

Earlier we heard from Unai Emery to hear what he thinks about the atmosphere and home support at Villa Park.

Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on Football Daily

It's really hard to play against a team like this who suffocate you in this way. They squeeze in threes and fours.

If all your players are in a very similar area, you've got nowhere to pass, no out ball. I think Villa played into PSG's hands.

What do PSG do if they face Rashford and Watkins in the second leg? For me, I think you have got a different game entirely if you play Ollie Watkins and Rashford up front - as a two.

Personally, I think that's what Villa need to do to get back in this game early on.

If you want to get back into this game you have got to do something drastic.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Opta

It's safe to say Aston Villa boss Unai Emery's gamble to play Marcus Rashford as the lone striker did not pay off last night.

Looking at the England international's touch map, above, it is evident that he spent most of his time drifting towards the left wing, where most of his touches came.

He also spent a significant amount of time in the defensive half, leaving Villa without a much-needed attacking outlet.

Rashford only completed one of his three attempted dribbles and won only one of the four duels he was involved in against PSG - definitely a night to forget for the 27-year-old.

Julien Laurens
European football expert on Football Daily

If you go and press them [PSG], they're very press-resistant. If you want to sit back and put 11 men behind the ball you're going to run and run and run all the time and eventually, you can't do it for 90 minutes physically and that's how the third goal comes. It's because after running for the ball so much, closing down gaps everywhere, staying narrow and then doubling up wide, you can do it of course but it's very demanding mentally and physically.

Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on Football Daily

If you are playing centre-forward, at some stage, when the ball is won back by your side you have to find your way up the pitch so they can just drop it into you or even put it in behind, with a bit of pressure from you on the defender.

If you look up and your centre-forward is 10 yards away from your box you can't get out - not with the way PSG play.

If they get the ball back in your final third, you are in trouble.

Image source, BBC Sport

In sharp contrast, Aston Villa only had one player who consistently positioned himself in the opposition half in the first leg.

And that was Marcus Rashford as other Villa players were pushed into their own half by PSG, who weaved their passes past their opponents to get a vital 3-1 victory.

It did not help Villa's cause that Rashford, who was deployed as the lone striker by Unai Emery before being replaced by Ollie Watkins after 79 minutes, had minimal impact on the game.

He finished the game without attempting a single shot and only one of his 29 touches came inside the PSG box.

Image source, BBC Sport

Paris St-Germain's dominance over Aston Villa in the Champions League quarter-final first leg is reflected in the positions their players took up on the pitch last night.

According to average player positions from last night, only two of their outfield players - centre-backs Beraldo and Willian Pacho - finished inside their own half, as seen in the graphic above.

Luis Enrique's side tried to make their moves through the middle with full-backs Nuno Mendes, who bagged a goal and an assist, and captain Achraf Hakimi providing the width.

Ousmane Dembele was the PSG attacker highest up the pitch and collected an assist as he slipped through Mendes for the crucial third goal in the second-half stoppage time.

Ian Taylor
Former Aston Villa midfielder speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Last night was a game where we wanted to contain and try and restrict them [Paris St-Germain] to a few chances, which we pretty much did.

But sometimes quality shines through, and the three goals that they scored were fantastic goals.

I mean, you've got a left-back that's getting forward in the last minute and scoring a goal like he did.

I thought he [Nuno Mendes] was fantastic, the left-back, and it culminated in a really good goal for him.

It was disappointing that we let that last goal in so late on, because it's given us that bit more of a mountain to climb. But now we've got to look forward to the next game.

Aston Villa are unbeaten at home in 17 matches in all competitions, and manager Unai Emery says he believes in the power of Villa Park to help his side turn their Champions League quarter-final tie around in the second leg.

But the Spaniard, who led Sevilla (three) and Villarreal (one) to a combined four Europa League title, is unlikely to depend solely on the home support.

But what will be his plan to help Villa overcome a two-goal deficit?

Julien Laurens
European football expert on Football Daily

It's beyond me. I don't understand how the Premier League didn't sign him [Khvicha Kvaratskhelia]. And not even this January, because PSG did a lot of background work last summer when they wanted him initially but just couldn't agree a fee with Napoli. They wanted over 100m euros (£86.7m), so it was difficult.

I think at 70m euros (£60m), and I know it's still a lot of money and not every club can afford him, but really if you are Manchester City, Manchester United or Liverpool...

There are other players who play wide who have quality on the ball, and not everything is perfect - sometimes he takes an extra touch and loses the ball - but the goal he scores shows all the quality that he has and yeah, I'm really amazed because I think the Premier League was made for him.

Image source, Getty Images

Another constant threat to Aston Villa last night was Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

The 24-year-old earned the nickname 'Kvaradona' for his elegant, jinking runs and deceptive bursts of pace during his time at Napoli, Diego Maradona's former club.

The Georgian rose to prominence during Napoli’s 2022-23 Serie A title-winning campaign with 12 goals and 13 assists.

And last night was not the first time he tormented an English opposition - as he featured in a 4-1 win for Napoli against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in the 2022-23 Champions League group stage.

On Thursday, Kvaratskhelia gave Matty Cash a difficult time forcing Unai Emery to take off the full-back at half-time.

But his replacement Axel Disasi did not have the best of times either against the PSG attacker as it was at his expense that the Georgian scored the French side's second of the night and put his side in control.

Julien Laurens
European football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

Desire Doue's goal was just incredible.

For someone who is 19 years old, he started at Arsenal [in a 2-0 defeat earlier in the Champions League campaign] and was out of his depth.

So for him to have worked his way in and now bring this quality at such a young age is ridiculous.

Image source, Getty Images

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Desire Doue translates to 'desire gifted' in English.

He has vast reserves of both as Aston Villa found out to their cost, running them ragged on the flanks, equalising with a sensational curling finish high past a motionless Emiliano Martinez from 20 yards on an angle.

There are rough edges to be smoothed out on the teenager, who drew the ire of France coach Didier Deschamps when he turned up late for his first day with the national squad at their Clairefontaine base before making his debut against Croatia.

But he is not short of confidence, stepping forward to score the winning penalty against Liverpool in the shootout at Anfield in the last round.

Doue's idol is Neymar but he is making a name of his own following his £43m (50m euro) arrival from Rennes last summer.

He is a free spirit in possession with a devastating turn of pace and glorious touch, and has a golden future.

Image source, Getty Images