Emi Martinez responds to Matty Cash’s ‘amazing’ Aston Villa message after PSG
Matty Cash has taken to social media with a “proud” message to his teammates after Aston Villa almost completed a near-unthinkable comeback against PSG in the Champions League.
Despite coming from behind on the night, the Villians crashed out of the Champions League in the quarter-final stage, with their 3-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes proving too much to overcome.
The tie looked out of sight after half an hour, as the visitors raced into a two-goal lead, with both full-back’s Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes on the scoresheet.
However, Unai Emery’s side did not go down without a fight, as a deflected shot from Youri Tielemans was followed by two goals in as many minutes by Ezri Konsa and John McGinn after the break.
Marco Asensio, playing against his parent club, had the best opportunity to level the tie but was denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma after racing through on goal.
Matty Cash shares positivity in light of Champions League exit
In a message from Cash’s official instagram account on Tuesday (15 April), the 27-year-old shared some positive thoughts following the full-time whistle, by saying: “Battled till the end! So proud of the boys, amazing support”.
The post was commented on by goalkeeper Emi Martínez, who was criticised for a mistake he made for PSG’s opening goal, in which he replied with three clapping emojis.
The right-back’s message was also liked by Declan Rice ahead of Arsenal’s trip to the Bernabéu in their second-leg against holders Real Madrid.
Important for Villa to qualify for the Champions League next year
Football Insider Verdict
After the full-time whistle which saw Villa win 3-2 on the night, Wayne Rooney made the point that the club may need Champions League football next season in order to keep their best players.
The likes of Rashford and Asensio are used to playing at the highest level, therefore it’s crucial that Villa approach their final six fixtures with the right mentality.
Tottenham and Manchester United aside, four of their last six fixtures are against opposition in the top half of the table, giving Villa no time to endure a European hangover.
| Aston Villa’s final six Premier League fixtures | Home or away |
| Newcastle | Home |
| Man City | Away |
| Fulham | Home |
| Bournemouth | Away |
| Tottenham | Home |
| Man United | Away |
If Emery’s men play to the levels that we witnessed in the second-half last night (15 April), then it will provide them with an excellent platform to return to the competition next year.
The all important run in starts with welcoming Newcastle to Villa Park, as the hosts have the opportunity to leapfrog Eddie Howe’s side in the table with a win.