PSG & Barcelona reach Champions League semi-finals
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (4-5 agg) - Villa come from 2-0 down to win on night but PSG edge through
FT: Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (3-5 agg) - Barca through despite Guirassy hat-trick on night
Borussia Dortmund v Barcelona (agg 0-4, 20:00 BST)
Barcelona have not graced the semi-finals of the Champions League since Liverpool's tremendous comeback in 2019.
In this time, the Catalan club have failed to get out of the group stage twice, been beaten in the round of 16 and been sent packing in the quarter-finals on two occasions.
It's been a long time coming.
Image source, Getty ImagesBorussia Dortmund v Barcelona (agg 0-4, 20:00 BST)
Raphinha is having the season of his life at Barcelona and is doing his utmost to help in their pursuit of a sixth Champions League crown.
The Brazilian has scored a brilliant 12 goals in 11 alongside registering seven assists.
Talisman.
Image source, Getty ImagesBorussia Dortmund v Barcelona (agg 0-4, 20:00 BST)
For Borussia Dortmund, the defeat in the first leg in Barcelona was a huge blow as they take the tie back to the Signal Iduna Park with the last four seemingly out of reach.
But, the Champions League throws up all sorts of shocks and surprises but Dortmund may need a miracle tonight.
Do miracles happen? We may find out tonight.
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Villa Park
Paris St-Germain coach Luis Enrique has trusted to a familiar approach with his team selection to face Aston Villa.
As he did when PSG beat Liverpool at Anfield in the last 16 before going through on penalties, he starts with Bradley Barcola and keeps the brilliant teenage Desire Doue on the bench.
He introduced the 19-year-old in the second half at Liverpool, where he then delivered an outstanding performance before scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out.
Quite the weapon to have at his disposal after Doue ran Villa ragged when PSG won the first leg in Paris.
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesFrench football journalist Raphael Jucobin:
"The nature of the new project at PSG is precisely that there is no single face. It is all about the team. There is no single player who leads the line like [Kylian] Mbappe would have done until last summer.
"What is interesting is that they are still spending a lot of money, as we saw in the winter when they signed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but they are doing it in a way where they are not bringing in established stars. They are bringing in players they can mould in the team’s image rather than the other way around."
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Julien Laurens
European football expert on The Football News Show
On PSG's new identity...
It was a desire from the club to move away from the era of superstars and marquee signings. At the time it helped, and the club thought if they sign all those names they have more chances of winning the Champions League and they failed every year.
Luis Enrique, who doesn't want superstars, he wants to be the superstar, he doesn't like big egos.
It's not easy to put together as you need the right pieces to fit the jigsaw. Now it has clicked and they're certainly favourites to go through to the semi-finals.
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Paris St-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele is currently enjoying the season of his life.
With 32 goals and 10 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions this season, he has been vital to PSG's superb form.
Here's what French football expert Julien Laurens has to say about him.
Ousmane Dembele "best player in the world" right now
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa, speaking to Amazon Prime: "It's a special occasion - for us players and for the fans. Hopefully, we can go out there and win the game.
"Tonight we have to put more pressure on them. From the whistle we need to go out there and try get an early goal."
On Ousmane Dembele: "Top-class player. I have watched him quite a lot during my career. He is one to be very careful of. As a defender, we have to be on top of our game."
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Steph Houghton
Former Manchester City captain on The Football News Show
It'll be interesting if Villa get an early goal, being at home. We talk about Morgan Rogers, if Villa are to do anything it's about those types of players, people who are really enjoying their football at the moment and full of confidence.
PSG are strong, they look like a together team. Previously with the likes of Kylian Mbappe it was about what he needed to get the best out of him. This is a team that is so brave by playing out, pressing, committing bodies forward.
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Image source, Getty Images1982 European Cup winner, Tony Morley told BBC Radio 5 Live it will be "one of the best results in Villa's history," if Aston Villa overcome Paris St-Germain.
Morley, a winger during his Aston Villa days, lifted the European Cup in 1982 after beating Bayern Munich 1-0.
Speaking on tonight's clash at Villa Park, Morley said: "Anything can happen in football. They're a special side, but if the crowd get behind them, and Villa get an early goal - then anything can happen."
Morley referred to Villa's 1982 final as "a normal game," I wonder if Aston Villa's players will approach tonight's game as a "normal game".
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Go for it Villa. PSG are the best team I've seen at Anfield for a long time. But give it everything you, the team and the fans have got. You never know when this sort of game comes around. Enjoy it, you deserve to be here!
Bill, Liverpool
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Julien Laurens
European football expert on The Football News Show
Image source, Getty ImagesThis is probably one of the best PSG teams in the history of the club. They've had great teams with Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Mbappe, Messi, but this is probably one of the greatest.
You see how some players have improved individually, like Desire Doue still only 19 years old. He has surprised the whole world with how good he's been. Ousmane Dembele who is much older, a World Cup winner but he has still got to another level. Really since the start of 2025 they have been outstanding.
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Are Paris St-Germain the current favourites for the Champions League title?
Chris Sutton thinks so. Hit the thumbs if you agree - up for yes, down for no.
Chris Sutton on why he thinks PSG will win the Champions League
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST, agg 1-3)
Chris Sutton
Former Chelsea striker on BBC Radio 5 Live
I'm looking forward to the game against PSG. I was at the Bayern Munich game and the roof nearly came off the stadium when Jhon Duran scored that goal.
I can't see how Villa will go through against PSG, I think PSG will win the Champions League. I think they are a well-balanced team. They've got rid of all the big hitters now.
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
The stage is set.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 Live
The Holte End is the noisiest of stands, but on night's like tonight you will get every stand making noise. You will have the PSG fans in the corner - there will be non-stop signing within this stadium tonight.
These occasions don't come around often. Aston Villa deserve to be where they are in this competition. Go and give it a go. If Villa go for the throat they have a chance.
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
What has happened to Villas squad?! I fancied them for a 2-0 before I saw the line-ups but this could be messy for Villa unfortunately.
Harry, Maidstone
Borussia Dortmund v Barcelona (20:00 BST)
Niko Kovac makes four changes to his Borussia Dortmund side that claimed a 2-2 draw with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Emre Can drops out of the squad with a groin injury, while Giovanni Reyna, Julian Brandt and Salih Ozcan move to the bench.
Karim Adeyemi, Felix Nmecha and Ramy Bensebaini all come into the starting line-up.
Borussia Dortmund XI: Kobel; Couto, Anton, Sule, Bensebaini; Nmecha, Svensson, Gross; Adeyemi, Guirassy, Beier.
Subs: Meyer, Lotka, Ozcan, Reyna, Brandt, Duranville, Ryerson, Watjen, Mane, Kabar, Gittens.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick also makes four alterations from their 1-0 win over Leganes at the weekend.
Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Gerard Martin replace Inigo Martinez, Eric Garcia, Pedri and Alejandro Balde, who misses out with a hamstring injury.
Barcelona XI: Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, Aruajo, Martin; Gavi, De Jong, Lopez; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Yamal.
Subs: Pena, Kochen, Martinez, Torres, Pedri, Fati, Torre, Christensen, Victor, Olmo, Garcia, Fort.
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Marcus Rashford retains his place in attack for Aston Villa with Ollie Watkins on the bench.
Pau Torres starts in defence with Tyrone Mings among the substitutes.
Aston Villa XI: Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, Onana, Rogers, McGinn, Rashford
PSG skipperMarquinhos returns from suspension to take his place in the side while Bradley Barcola starts in attack with Desire Doue on the bench.
Paris St-Germain XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; João Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Barcola, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Aston Villa v PSG (20:00 BST)
Villa Park has been absolutely rocking on these Champions League nights and Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers says the club's fans have a vital role to play in generating an atmosphere tonight.
He hopes it will inspire the club to the semi-finals of Europe's elite competition for the first time in over four decades.
When asked how important the home support will be, Morgan said: "Massive. Two-legged ties, that's the whole purpose of it.
"You get your advantage at home, especially in the position we're in, the second leg being at home. I think that's massive for us.
"We can create a real atmosphere, we've done it this season in the big games, not just Champions League but in the big league games as well."
Image source, Getty Images| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 21 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 19 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 13 | 19 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 19 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 18 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 16 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 16 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 16 |
| |
| 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 15 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 15 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 15 |
| |
14 PSV | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 14 |
|
| 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 13 |
| |
16 Benfica | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 13 |
|
| 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| |
18 Brest | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 13 |
|
19 Feyenoord | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 21 | -3 | 13 |
|
| 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 12 |
| |
| 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 12 |
| |
| 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 11 |
| |
23 Sporting CP | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 11 |
|
24 Club Brugge | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 11 |
|
25 Dinamo Zagreb | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 11 |
|
26 Stuttgart | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 10 |
|
27 Shakhtar Donetsk | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 16 | -8 | 7 |
|
28 Bologna | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 6 |
|
29 Red Star Belgrade | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 22 | -9 | 6 |
|
30 Sturm Graz | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 6 |
|
31 Sparta Prague | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
|
| 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 3 |
| |
33 Girona | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 3 |
|
34 Red Bull Salzburg | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 27 | -22 | 3 |
|
35 Slovan Bratislava | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 27 | -20 | 0 |
|
36 Young Boys | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 24 | -21 | 0 |
|
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Luis Enrique
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Luis Enrique
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
UEFA Champions League
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Aston Villa have lost three of their four games against French sides in European competition under Unai Emery, with all three of those defeats coming in succession (1-2 v Lille, 0-1 v Monaco, and 1-3 v Paris SG). Their one victory did come in the only one of these four played at Villa Park, however, beating Lille 2-1 in April 2024 (UEFA Conference League).
Of the seven previous occasions when Paris SG have won the first leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout stage tie by 2+ goals, the French side have been eliminated on three occasions. Should they fail to progress here, they’ll have been eliminated from more European Cup/UEFA Champions League knockout stage ties having had a 2+ goal lead from the first leg than any other team (4).
Aston Villa’s defeat against Paris SG in the reverse fixture was the third time they’ve lost by 2+ goals in the first leg of a knockout stage tie in major European competition, while they failed to progress in each of the previous two instances (on aggregate: 1-5 v Royal Antwerp in 1975-76 in the UEFA Cup and 2-6 v Olympiakos last season in the UEFA Conference League).
Paris SG have only won four of their 17 away games against English teams in European competition (D4 L9). One of those victories did come in the most recent one (1-0 v Liverpool in March), however, ending a run of four straight defeats in such fixtures.
Since the start of the 2022-23 season, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has only lost one of his 13 home matches in major European competition as a manager, while winning 11 of them (D1). His only defeat in this run came in May 2024 against Olympiakos (2-4 in the UEFA Conference League semi-final, first leg).
Paris SG have averaged 11.2 high turnovers per game in the UEFA Champions League this season; their most in a single edition on record (since 2012-13). They’ve also recorded 36 shot-ending high turnovers in 2024-25, which is more than they had in the previous three editions combined (28).
Paris SG have four different players who’ve been directly involved in 5+ goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, in Ousmane Dembélé (9), Achraf Hakimi (6), Bradley Barcola (6) and Désiré Doué (5). They’ve never previously had more players do so in a single edition, while they have three players currently on four goal involvements (Gonçalo Ramos, Fabián Ruiz, and Nuno Mendes).
Morgan Rogers has been directly involved in six goals for Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League this season (four goals, two assists). Only two English players aged under-23 have ever had more goal involvements in a single edition of the competition: Jude Bellingham (9) and Bukayo Saka (8), both in 2023-24.
Paris SG midfielder João Neves has applied more high-intensity pressures than any other midfielder in the UEFA Champions League this season (651), while his 42 tackles are the most by a midfielder in a single edition of the competition since Real Madrid’s Casemiro in 2017-18 (45).
Youri Tielemans leads all Aston Villa players in the UEFA Champions League this season for passes completed (534) and line-breaking passes (104), as well as possession recoveries (45) and tackles (19).
