A game that makes football loved, an attack that has no defense, goals that keep coming... Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are the teams that have shown the most this year in Europe, almost no one had a solution for their atomic football, but can Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa change everything?
The German giants and current European vice-champions will be visiting Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, while the team will Unaja Emeri welcome Paris Saint-Germain. Both matches start at 21 p.m.
Perhaps the team that played in the final last season cannot be said to be an outsider, but because of everything Barca has shown this season, the Catalan giants somehow emerge as the big favorite.
FLIK: DORTMUND PLAYS ATTACKINGLY TOO
The clash between Barcelona and Borussia will also be interesting from a coaching perspective, as Hansi Flick during 2018/19. was an assistant Niko Kovac at Bayern Munich. Flick later surpassed Kovac, won the Champions League, was the coach of Germany, and since he knows all the teams from his country well, he also knows that there is no relaxation against a team like Borussia - regardless of the fact that they have not shone this season.
- They may have had slightly weaker results, but Borussia is an extremely stable team, a team that also plays attacking football. It's a shame because of all the injuries they've had (the latest is Nika Šloterbek), but I know they have plenty of players there who can replace them - said Flik.
In addition, the Dortmund team has shown that they know how to deal with Spanish teams, having won four of their last five matches against La Liga teams in the knockout stages, including a triumph against Atletico in the quarter-finals last year.
- Now we face a completely different challenge than those in the Bundesliga, because we are playing against one of the strongest teams in Europe. We will have to be defensively perfect and I think we can do that - emphasized Kovac.
Barcelona is unbeaten in 2025, and in their last five matches against Borussia in UEFA competitions.
RASHFORD HAS ALREADY CRUSHED PARIS TWICE
The second match of the evening may not sound like a clash between Barca and Borussia, but many are rightly expecting great football in the duel between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.
It will be a coaching duel between Spanish experts. Luis Enrique and Unja Emeria, and it will also be interesting from the perspective Marcus RashfordThe Aston Villa striker, while wearing a Manchester United jersey, knocked down the “saint” twice at “Parc des Princes”.
First in 2019, when he eliminated PSG in the round of 94 from a penalty kick in the 87th minute, and then two seasons later in the group stage when he sealed the victory for the "devils" in the XNUMXth minute.
This will also be the return of Emery, but a striker Marka Installer to the club whose colors they defended.
"I was here for two years and it's great to be back, especially coming back with Aston Villa in the quarter-finals of the Champions League," Emery said.
Everyone expects another performance from Paris Saint-Germain like the one against Liverpool in the round of 16 when they thrilled the football world.
- Aston Villa are like us, with a lot of versatile players. It's hard to know who will play, especially after the winter transfer window in which they strengthened well. It will be an open and difficult game for both teams - believes Luis Enrique.
Bonus video:
