Villa’s Rashford eyes PSG hat-trick as Asensio prepares to face parent club

Marcus Rashford returns to Paris with Aston Villa on Wednesday aiming for a personal hat-trick of victories at the Parc des Princes, while teammate Marco Asensio prepares to face his parent club Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.

Both players joined Villa on loan during the winter transfer window and have made an immediate impact under manager Unai Emery, scoring a combined 11 goals across all competitions.

Villa arrive in France riding a wave of confidence, having won seven consecutive matches. They currently sit sixth in the Premier League and are due to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final later this month.

Rashford will be returning to familiar territory. The England international has twice scored match-winning goals at PSG's home ground, both times while playing for his boyhood club Manchester United. In 2019, he famously converted a stoppage-time penalty to help United eliminate PSG on away goals in the Champions League last 16. Two seasons later, he scored again in a 2–1 group stage win.

Now wearing different colours after leaving Old Trafford under a cloud, Rashford has found new life at Villa Park. He netted his first Premier League goal for the club last week against Brighton, just days after scoring twice in Villa's 3–0 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Preston.

Emery, who managed PSG between 2016 and 2018, praised Rashford's resurgence and believes the 27-year-old is regaining his form and confidence. "He's recovering confidence himself playing football, being focused only on football, being with his teammates comfortable as well, identifying and understanding our style, our demands," said the Spaniard. "Everything with him is progressively getting better."

Rashford, who was recently recalled to the England squad by manager Thomas Tuchel, has not ruled out a longer stay at Villa, though his future remains uncertain. For now, his sights are set on helping the club win the Champions League — a feat he never managed during his time at United.

Meanwhile, Marco Asensio will also have a point to prove against his current employers. The Spanish midfielder, who won the Champions League three times with Real Madrid, has flourished at Villa, scoring eight goals in 11 appearances. He played a key role in Villa's 6–1 aggregate win over Club Brugge in the last 16, scoring three times.

Since arriving from PSG in 2023, Asensio has already outscored his entire output in the French capital in just two months under Emery. UEFA regulations allow him to play against PSG, as clubs are not permitted to restrict the eligibility of players on loan in European competitions.

Villa midfielder Amadou Onana praised the influence of both loan signings. "Both of them are doing really well," he told UEFA's Off Pitch YouTube channel. "You could see straight away when they came in, the direct impact. Both of them played at the highest possible level and even for us young players, it's inspiring training and learning from them on a daily basis."

Emery, a four-time Europa League winner, is determined to get the better of his former club, who recently knocked out Liverpool and have just sealed another Ligue 1 title. PSG remain one of the tournament's strongest sides and are considered among the favourites to lift the trophy.

Onana believes Villa — European champions in 1982 and last featured in the competition the following season — can reach the semi-finals, but admitted the challenge will be immense. "Are we dreaming? Yes and no, because I think we have the quality as a team to be where we are," he said. "But obviously, we've got to be realistic. PSG is, for me, one of the contenders for this Champions League, so it is definitely going to be hard."