Aston Villa: Marco Asensio could return to haunt PSG with Aston Villa in the Champions League

Marco Asensio's career at Paris Saint-Germain didn't go as planned, but he now has the opportunity to make PSG remember his name. This February, the 29-year-old was loaned from the Parc des Princes to Aston Villa. Next month, he will have the chance to face his parent club, Paris Saint-Germain, in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Asensio scored twice in the second half of Wednesday's game against Club Brugge, helping his team advance to the quarter-finals with a 3-0 aggregate score. This also puts him on a collision course with Paris Saint-Germain on the field. Previously, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Liverpool in a penalty shootout on Tuesday.

UEFA regulations stipulate that clubs must not exert "any influence whatsoever" over which players another club may (or may not) field in a match. This means that Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League dream could be ended by one of their own players. Asensio helped Real Madrid win three Champions League titles before moving to Paris in 2023. However, his career stagnated during his 18 months in Paris, scoring only 7 goals in 43 appearances, although he did win the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double last season.

Before joining Villa, Asensio won 17 trophies with Real Madrid, as many as Alfredo Di Stéfano, who is considered one of the greatest players in world football. He has rediscovered his form since moving to Villa. Since his Villa debut last month, only Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé (8 goals) has scored more goals than Asensio (7 goals) in all competitions in Europe's top five leagues.

These goals have come in eight games, including three goals in the two legs against Club Brugge. The Spanish attacking midfielder said he is willing to wait before focusing on the return to Paris. He said: "I feel very comfortable. I am very happy with my teammates, the fans and the city. We have a week or two to think about this (against Paris Saint-Germain) game." Villa manager Unai Emery remained cautious when asked if he would like to buy Asensio in the summer, but he remains delighted with Asensio's impact. Former Arsenal and England defender Matt Upson said on BBC Radio 5 Live that he believes Asensio is a world-class player.