Luis Enrique warns PSG against complacency ahead of Villa second leg

Luis Enrique warned Paris Saint-Germain against complacency heading into the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Aston Villa.

PSG are in a strong position to progress to their third semi-final in six seasons, after coming from behind to win 3-1 in last week’s first leg at Parc des Princes.

The recently crowned Ligue 1 champions will not be taking anything for granted just yet, though.

After all, they have been eliminated on three of the seven previous occasions when winning the first leg of a Champions League knockout stage tie by two or more goals.

And Luis Enrique is certainly approaching the second leg at Villa Park with caution.

“The road to the Champions League is paved with favourites who have been eliminated along the way,” he told reporters during his pre-match press conference.

“Of course, we were better in the first leg and deserved the win, but that story is behind us. Now, a second story begins. We’ll see who’s better, who’s going to win.

“We have that advantage, but it doesn’t fit in with our philosophy of thinking with certainty. We still have this idea of not calculating. If Aston Villa score or win, we have to show in this match that we have the level required to reach the semi-finals.”

The squad for the quarter-final second leg in the @ChampionsLeague against Aston Villa!#AVFCPSG I #UCL pic.twitter.com/J7IqRQmPAP

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 14, 2025

Having recently sealed a fourth successive Ligue 1 crown, PSG are on course to secure a treble this season, with the club also set to face Reims in the Coupe de France final on May 24.

Luis Enrique has been impressed by the maturity of his side, who have generally remained focused on the task in hand, despite the growing expectations surrounding them.

“As time goes by, the scenarios around us change,” he added. “We’ve gone from the maximum pessimism we saw at the start of the season, to the excessive motivation and joy we’re seeing at the moment.

“The key in these cases is the maturity we’re seeing, despite the youth of my team. The ability to forget everything that’s going on and stay focused on the game. Because nothing’s done, it’s not over yet.

“It’s going to be difficult, and we expect to suffer. If we’re prepared to suffer, that means we’re ready to achieve our objective, which is victory.”