Aston Villa continue to show inconsistency, but with Marco Asensio delivering another brace, they secured a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since their run to the final in 2015. Asensio, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, was the star of the night, scoring twice as Villa overcame a resilient Cardiff City side.
Unai Emery’s team has experienced fluctuating form, recently defeating Chelsea 3-1 where Asensio also netted twice before suffering a 4-1 loss at Crystal Palace. However, with the club still in contention for a top-five finish in the Premier League and a last-16 Europa Conference League tie against Club Brugge on the horizon, their season remains promising.
Cardiff, sitting just six points above the Championship relegation zone, put up a determined fight, but Asensio made the difference, converting assists from Marcus Rashford and Leon Bailey. Rashford, still searching for his first goal for Villa since arriving on loan from Manchester United, missed a couple of excellent chances. Despite that, no Premier League player has created more than his 13 opportunities since making his Villa debut.
“Marcus is a top player,” Asensio said. “We haven’t played together for long, but I already understand what he wants to do and where he likes to pass. I’m happy to have him and all my teammates.”
Emery revealed that Asensio was enticed to join Villa by the opportunity to play in his preferred role. “He’s adapting very well and has a great chance here to play as a No. 10,” Emery explained. “We planned for him to be in his best position, linking up with the midfield, strikers, and wingers. He’s showing his qualities and his ability to score goals.”
Before kickoff, a tribute was held in memory of Peter Whittingham, who represented both clubs during his career and passed away five years ago. The 6,500 traveling Cardiff supporters were in fine voice, adding to the atmosphere.
Villa dominated possession, with John McGinn and Youri Tielemans controlling the midfield, but breaking down Cardiff’s deep defensive setup proved difficult. Ethan Horvath, recently recalled to the Cardiff goal after first-choice Jak Alnwick suffered a season-ending injury, produced an outstanding display. He denied powerful efforts from Bailey and Ollie Watkins in the first half before making another fine save from Rashford early in the second.
Cardiff manager Omer Riza praised his goalkeeper’s resilience. “He was brilliant,” Riza said. “He’s shown great patience and character, waiting for his opportunity, and tonight he produced a fantastic performance.”
Meanwhile, reports suggest Rashford is keen to make his Villa move permanent in the summer. While he has shown flashes of his exceptional talent, he will need to sharpen his finishing to convince Villa to secure his long-term future. One missed opportunity, in particular, stood out—when Bailey whipped in a cross to the far post, Rashford failed to set himself properly and sent his volley over the bar from six yards.
Cardiff had their moments, with Yousef Salech almost leveling from Perry Ng’s cross, forcing Emiliano Martínez into a sharp stop. However, Villa soon regained control, and Asensio put them ahead. Tielemans picked out Rashford’s run and lofted a perfect pass into the left channel. Rashford squared it first-time, and Asensio met it with a crisp half-volley.
The victory was sealed 10 minutes from time when Bailey cut the ball back from the right flank. Watkins cleverly dummied, allowing Asensio to slot a composed finish into the bottom corner, securing Villa’s passage to the next round.
