Aston Villa Seeks Home Advantage Against PSG In Champions League Quarter-Final, Unai Emery States

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Aston Villa face a crucial challenge in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain at Villa Park. Unai Emery emphasised the importance of capitalising on their home advantage. In the first leg, Villa suffered a 3-1 defeat at Parc des Princes despite Morgan Rogers giving them an early lead. PSG responded with goals from Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Nuno Mendes.

Villa's history in knockout stages shows they have struggled to overturn deficits. They have previously failed to progress after losing by two or more goals in the first leg, notably against Royal Antwerp in 1975-76 and Olympiakos last season. However, Emery remains optimistic about their chances on Tuesday. He acknowledged PSG's experience but believes Villa Park's supporters can provide vital energy.

Emery highlighted the significance of connecting with fans to boost team morale. "PSG have a lot of experience playing in away matches," he said. "But we will be connecting with our supporters and transmitting the energy... If we do, tactically and individually, good things on the field, the supporters are going to up our energy and help us a lot."

Villa recently secured a 3-0 victory over Southampton in the Premier League, boosting their confidence ahead of facing PSG again. Emery is determined to achieve a positive result in the second leg despite the 3-1 deficit from Paris. "Our expectation is to get a good result," he stated. "We had to win at 2-1 and with 3-1 now. But now, we have to win with one more goal."

Despite tactical challenges faced in Paris, Emery plans to stick with his strategy for the upcoming match. "Our objective is to play with one strong plan in our tactical way tomorrow," he explained. The manager stressed consistency and understanding throughout the full 90 minutes.

Ollie Watkins' form has been noteworthy despite limited starts recently. Emery praised Watkins' performance against Southampton where he played for 30 minutes and contributed significantly. "He showed us he is feeling fantastic," Emery noted. Watkins leads Villa's scoring charts this season with 15 goals across all competitions.

Watkins' last Champions League goal was against Celtic in January during their final league stage game. His ability to impact games even with limited minutes is seen as an asset by Emery who aims to utilise players' qualities effectively regardless of time spent on the pitch.

Villa's task remains challenging but not impossible as they prepare for PSG's visit. With strategic planning and strong support from fans at Villa Park, they hope to overturn their first-leg deficit and advance further in the competition.