John McGinn, captain of Aston Villa, has issued a rallying cry to Paris Saint-Germain, emphasising that his side is determined to “carve our names in history” ahead of their clash in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Villa secured their spot in the last eight of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time in 42 years with a decisive 3-0 victory over a weakened Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Under the management of Unai Emery, Villa triumphed with a 6-1 aggregate score in the Round of 16, as Marco Asensio made a significant impact off the bench, scoring twice in the second half during the second leg at Villa Park.
Club Brugge’s Kyriani Sabbe was shown a red card for a professional foul on Marcus Rashford early in the first half, adding to Villa’s advantage.
In between Asensio’s goals, Ian Maatsen found the back of the net, setting the stage for an enticing encounter with Ligue 1 leaders PSG, who triumphed over Liverpool in a penalty shootout at Anfield on Tuesday.
The Villans aim to reach the semi-finals for the first time since their victory in the tournament back in 1982, with McGinn eager to continue their remarkable journey against PSG next month.
“It’s absolutely incredible. Years of hard work have brought us here. Champions League quarter-finalists? We couldn’t ask for more,” he stated.
“We had a shaky first half, but even after they went down to 10 men, they still played really well. We’re lucky to have Marco coming off the bench. The second half was fantastic.
“It doesn’t get much tougher than facing PSG over two legs. We’re providing these fans with unforgettable experiences.
“We’re keen to etch our names into history and make these nights a regular occurrence.
Aston Villa surprised many by qualifying for the Champions League after finishing in the Premier League’s top four last season.
In their first Champions League campaign since 1982-83, Villa celebrated memorable victories against Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Bologna, and Celtic during the group stages before overcoming Brugge.
‘Thrilling conclusion to the season’
With Prince William, an avid Villa supporter, cheering from the stands, Emery’s side recovered from a shaky start to continue their impressive Champions League run.
Villa are also pursuing FA Cup success for the first time since 1957 and are set to face Championship side Preston in the quarter-finals on March 30.
“A little breather will be beneficial. We have a chance to reach Wembley in the FA Cup,” McGinn added.
“We aim to come back and relish these nights next season. What an exhilarating finale to the season we have ahead!
Villa’s aspirations for a thrilling end to the season can be traced back to Emery’s arrival at the club in 2022.
Since taking over from the dismissed Steven Gerrard, Emery has reinvigorated Villa and is showcasing his managerial prowess on the grand stage once more, having previously won the Europa League four times with Sevilla and Villarreal.
His decision to introduce Asensio and Leon Bailey at half-time against Brugge proved a masterstroke, as the duo quickly linked up for the opening goal.
For Emery, facing PSG will hold extra significance, as he experienced two challenging years in charge there, securing the French title in 2018 but eventually departing following disappointing exits from the Champions League.
“We began the match below our expectations. They were the better team. We didn’t execute our game plan in the first half,” Emery commented.
“We had a chat at half-time, altered a few things, and adjusted our mindset to perform better, and it made all the difference.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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