Manchester City and Aston Villa will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, according to the draw — the holders of the European title will meet both English teams in the league phase of the tournament. The draw, which was conducted under the new 2024 format, features several high-profile matchups; PSG, the reigning champions, will host both teams at the Parc des Príncipes.

Key Matchups in the Draw

The Champions League draw has created several high-stakes fixtures in the league phase, but Alongside Man City and Villa facing PSG, other notable matches include Barcelona visiting PSG, Real Madrid facing Arsenal, and Atlético Madrid hosting Bayern Munich. These fixtures are expected to be among the most anticipated in the competition.

PSG, under the guidance of coach Luis Enrique, will also host Barcelona, the reigning La Liga champions; Real Madrid will face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, while Atlético Madrid will host Bayern Munich at the Metropolitano. These matches are expected to attract significant attention from fans and media.

Pre-Season Preparations and Squad News

Aston Villa will face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup on August 10, 2024. In that match, Villa lost 2-1. Villa manager Unai Emery praised the performance of young players like Jacob Hemmings and Brian Madjo; Hemmings, 19, made six recoveries in the match and recorded 14 passes in the final third. Emery emphasized the importance of these experiences for the young players.

Aston Villa has also made a major transfer addition with the arrival of Joshua Kimmich’s Bayern Munich teammate, Jesse Goretzka — the 31-year-old midfielder signed a three-year contract with Villa after spending eight years at Bayern, where he won 17 titles and made 312 appearances. Goretzka has expressed excitement about playing in the Premier League, where he expects to face top teams on a regular basis.

Player Availability and Form

Several key players will be unavailable for Aston Villa’s upcoming matches. Emiliano Martínez, Brian Madjo, Tammy Abraham, Leon Bailey, Amadou Onana, and Johan Manzambi are all sidelined due to injuries. PSG, on the other hand, does not have any unavailable players ahead of their matches against Man City and Villa.

The head-to-head record between Villa and PSG shows the French side with two wins to Villa’s one, according to FotMob. Emery, however, remains confident in his team’s ability to compete with top European sides. He noted that the players had worked hard and showed improvement in their recent match against PSG. Villa will face Borussia Mönchengladbach in their final pre-season game before the Premier League season begins.

Goretzka could make his debut for Villa in their upcoming Premier League match against Arsenal. The German midfielder has previously won seven Bundesliga titles and a Champions League with Bayern. He expects to bring his experience to Villa and help the team achieve its goals. The club has also reportedly been in talks with Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea for a potential transfer.