Aston Villa face an uphill battle in their Champions League quarter-final second leg after a 3-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes. But a goal from Morgan Rogers offers a glimmer of hope ahead of next week’s decisive clash at Villa Park.
Rogers gave Unai Emery’s side a shock lead against the French giants on 9 April, only for PSG to respond with three unanswered goals. Despite the deficit, Villa remain optimistic, with Rogers taking to Instagram on 10 April, posting images from the match alongside the message: “It’s not over.”
Among those showing support was 18-year-old darts sensation Luke Littler, who liked Rogers’ post. Littler, a Manchester United fan, has built a friendly rapport with the Villa star and made his support clear following the game.
Champions League Race Heats Up
Villa now turn their attention to the return leg at Villa Park, where they’ll need a near-perfect performance to overturn PSG’s two-goal advantage and reach the semi-finals. The winner of the tie will face either Arsenal or Real Madrid—the Gunners currently hold a commanding 3-0 lead heading into their second leg in Spain.
Elsewhere in Europe, Manchester United settled for a 2-2 draw against Lyon in the Europa League, while Tottenham and Rangers also played out first-leg draws. Chelsea took a strong step toward the Conference League semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw.
Premier League Duties Await
Before PSG return to Birmingham, Villa must first navigate a tricky Premier League fixture away at Southampton on Saturday, 12 April. The Saints were officially relegated last week following a loss to Tottenham and the sacking of manager Ivan Juric. Still, Villa can’t afford to take anything for granted with top-five ambitions on the line.
Their packed schedule also includes a looming FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace, as the Villans aim to finish an already thrilling season on multiple fronts.
