Luis Enrique vs Unai Emery: A Star-Studded Clash and a Comeback to Remember

Luis Enrique and Unai Emery, two of the three Spanish managers in the Champions League quarter-finals alongside Mikel Arteta, face off this Wednesday in the enticing clash at the Parc des Princes between PSG and Aston Villa, the first leg of a quarter-final tie where the French champions emerge as the undeniable favourites.

Stellar roles for the Asturian and the Basque, with the lingering memory of a historic comeback that took place over eight years ago. On March 8, 2017, Emery's PSG had thrashed Lucho's Barça, but the controversial 6-1 at Camp Nou marked one of the magical European nights for the Catalan club.

Times have changed. The Gijon native is enjoying his second season at PSG, having just reclaimed the Ligue 1 title, and knows his team has become one of the main contenders for the much-coveted title in Paris. Semi-finalists last season, they started this campaign irregularly but delivered two significant blows by overcoming Manchester City in January and eliminating Liverpool in the round of 16. The Villans are the fourth English team they face in this Champions League.

"This season is clearly better than last year," admits Luis Enrique, much more approachable in his press conferences now than in his previously curt and grumpy version months ago. He enjoys a more cohesive and balanced team with Mbappé, and for this match, he has the dilemma of choosing between Beraldo or Lucas Hernández to replace the suspended Marquinhos in defence.

Facing them, Aston Villa is also in good form after seven consecutive victories across all competitions, although their performance dips away from Birmingham. The coach from Fuenterrabía arrived after the start of the 22-23 season and is now idolised. He took over a team battling for survival and now has them in the Champions League quarter-finals, with a chance to finish in the Premier League's top four, although they are currently seventh, and to win the FA Cup as they are already in the semi-finals.

Emery maintains a love affair with the Europa League, where he won three titles with Sevilla and one with Villarreal, in addition to being a finalist with Arsenal and a semi-finalist with Aston Villa, but in the Champions League, he has faced disappointments. The comeback against Barça and the elimination a year later against Real Madrid.

A year younger than Luis Enrique, Emery expertly manages rotations, making up to eight changes in three days for recent victories against Brighton and Nottingham Forest, and the club has grown under the leadership of Sevilla's Monchi as sporting director. Rashford, Asensio, and Malen, all signed in the winter market and impactful whether starting or coming off the bench, pose three threats to Donnarumma, the hero in the penalty shootout against the Reds in the round of 16.

Champions of the European Cup in 1982, Villa played their last quarter-final match in the top continental competition a year later, losing 5-2 on aggregate to Juventus.

Probable Line-ups

PSG: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Beraldo, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia, and Barcola.

Aston Villa: Dibu Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, Rogers, McGinn, Ramsey, and Rashford.

Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy).

Time: 21:00 h. Parc des Princes.

TV: Movistar Liga de Campeones.