VILLA PARK — Before collecting his deserved man-of-the-match award it was notable which Aston Villa teammates Marco Asensio left the pitch with.
In a world dominated by transfers where players regularly up sticks, it can be easily forgotten that many will be after home comforts in a new city.
It was no surprise then to see loanee Asensio walking off with Emiliano Martinez and Pau Torres on Wednesday night, the three Spanish-speaking players joking and beaming in their mother tongue after Villa completed the job against Club Bruges.
Asensio, who it must be said speaks an impressive level of English, sparked Villa into life when coming off the bench, underlining his quality by vastly improving Unai Emery’s side after the break.
The No 10 sure has bedded in quickly, playing his preferred position and scoring seven times for Villa, which includes three consecutive doubles at Villa Park.
And beyond this evident Spanish connection he is enjoying a telepathic one with Marcus Rashford, who has assisted him four times already.
Rinse and repeat. On all four occasions Rashford has crossed the ball from the left-hand side, with Asensio on hand to score against Chelsea (twice), Cardiff and then Bruges.
This most recent goal was a reminder of the two players Emery will look to lean on when facing Paris Saint-Germain in the next round, which for Asensio is a reunion with his parent club – something that is allowed in Uefa competition.
“The bar keeps raising,” Villa defender Tyrone Mings said. “The Championship feels like a long time ago.
“It’s important for them [Rashford and Asensio] to come in and buy into it. They come with big reputations. For them to come in, hit the ground coming, buy into the group and show their quality is so impressive.”
The quarter-final meeting will also mark a return to Paris for Emery, the Spaniard having coached PSG from 2016 to 2018. He has never faced them as an opposing manager.
During Emery’s PSG reign they exited the round of 16 twice – the first occasion spectacularly so in 2017 – but this year there is a sense it could be different for the French champions after they beat Liverpool on Tuesday.
Villa though will be on their own mission to keep this dream run going, and head to the French capital for the first leg on Wednesday 9 April.
There in Paris Rashford was the hero for Manchester United in 2019, now the only time in 54 Champions League knockout ties where a side were able to overturn a two-goal deficit going into an away second leg.
Six years and six days later, Rashford was starting for against PSG for Villa, who had been fortunate to leave Belgium with a 3-1 lead last week.
After a slow start, Martinez’s inch-perfect punt sent Rashford through on goal, and it was a smart run made smarter by the fact defender Kyriani Sabbe felt he had no choice but to pull the forward back.
Sabbe was sent off for denying the goalscoring opportunity, and while Youri Tielemans’ free-kick was then saved, with Bruges a man down it was as good as match over.
It was a reprieve for Villa given their sluggish start, although they hardly improved thereafter.
Perhaps the thought was “why bother” with a two-goal lead in the tie – so too because Villa are not in action again until 30 March – but after half-time Emery ensured his players gave the home fans something to cheer about.
Bringing Asensio and Leon Bailey on for the second half did the trick, with the pair combining for the opening goal.
Asensio’s smart strike was followed by Maatsen’s first goal for the club eight minutes later, and it was 3-0 on the night after 62 minutes, Asensio meeting Rashford’s cross for his second.
Whether Rashford has now done enough to make Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad we shall find out on Friday, while with these two superstars Emery has further first-hand experience to look to when it comes to facing PSG.
Asensio, the three-time Champions League winner, will have a point to prove against PSG, while Rashford knows what it takes to break Parisian hearts. What Villa fans would give for a repeat next month, even if it does feel currently like the biggest of asks.
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