Defender explains why Aston Villa have achieved nothing yet despite Champions League progression

Villa set-up a last-eight showdown with Paris Saint-Germain by completing a 6-1 aggregate win over Club Brugge to continue their impressive run in the club’s first year back in Europe’s elite competition.

But defender Mings says Unai Emery’s team do not want to stop there as they fight for success on three fronts.

Villa are still targeting a top-four finish in the Premier League for the second successive season, while their next match is an FA Cup quarter-final at Preston North End on March 30. 

Mings said: “I know we have got through (in the Champions League) but it really does not feel like we have achieved what we want to achieve this season.

“Yes, we can enjoy it by knowing we have had a good two legs and are through to the next round. But we still have such big challenges to come and I don’t think there will be too much excessive partying.

“It’s good to dream and it is good to have aspirations. We obviously have the goals we want to achieve in-house and we speak about it all the time.

“But there is no point worrying about that without considering the second train of thought, which is you have to take each game as it comes and play what is in front of you.

“The manager is very much one game at a time. He spoke after the match on Wednesday, which he doesn’t usually, to say congratulations and that we should be enjoying what we have achieved so far.

“But he also reiterated the last two months of the season have to be our best.”

Villa play the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final away in Paris on Wednesday April 9, before hosting the home leg the following Tuesday.

Mings knows they will go in as underdogs against PSG, who themselves caused an upset by knocking out Liverpool in the last-16.

But the centre-back believes Villa have more than enough quality to trouble their opponents.

He said: “I’m expecting a very tough game. But we are so excited. Every game we play now comes with its own challenges.

“We are playing now in what I think is the toughest league in the world, which means every week we have to treat teams with equal levels of respect.

“When it comes to the Champions League, we will go over there and try to give a good account of ourselves and win over two legs.

“We will enjoy every moment but we have a lot of firepower and quality in our team as well.”