BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain staved off a furious Aston Villa comeback to secure their place in the Champions League semifinals on a thrilling Tuesday night at Villa Park. Despite suffering a 3-2 defeat in the second leg of their quarterfinal tie, PSG advanced 5-4 on aggregate, showcasing resilience and determination throughout a chaotic match.
PSG entered the game with a comfortable 3-1 lead from the first leg, played at the Parc des Princes last week. The French champions quickly extended their aggregate advantage to 4-1, with Achraf Hakimi putting them ahead in the 11th minute, capitalizing on a fumble from Villa's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Nuno Mendes then doubled the lead with a superb counterattack goal in the 28th minute, making it 2-0 on the night.
However, Villa, buoyed by the support of their home crowd and the presence of Prince William, refused to back down. They struck back just before halftime when Youri Tielemans managed to deflect a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma, reducing PSG's aggregate lead to 4-2.
The second half saw Aston Villa mount a remarkable charge, with John McGinn leveling the score at 2-2 in the 55th minute with a stunning long-range effort. Just two minutes later, Ezri Konsa capitalized on a cross from Marcus Rashford to put Villa ahead 3-2 on the night, narrowing PSG's aggregate lead to 5-4 and igniting hopes of a historic comeback.
As the Villa fans erupted in jubilation, PSG found themselves under immense pressure. The French side's defense was tested time and again, but Donnarumma emerged as the hero, making crucial saves to deny Villa a fourth goal. His diving stop against Tielemans' header and a crucial block against a late volley from Ian Maatsen were pivotal in securing PSG's progression.
“I don’t think we could have done anymore,” Konsa said post-match, reflecting on Villa's valiant effort. “We showed tonight we can compete at the highest level. We want to do it again next season.”
PSG's victory marked their third semifinal appearance in five seasons, a feat achieved without their former stars Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé, who have all departed the club in recent seasons. The team's new structure has been praised, but their near-collapse at Villa Park raised questions about their ability to handle pressure at the highest level.
“We believed in the end we were going to go through,” said Marquinhos, PSG’s captain. “But this is the Champions League — the games are always going to be difficult.”
As the match drew to a close, the celebrations from PSG's players were a mix of relief and joy. They are now set to face the winner of the upcoming quarterfinal clash between Arsenal and Real Madrid, with the next match scheduled for April 29.
In the other quarterfinal match on Tuesday, Barcelona advanced with a 5-3 aggregate score against Borussia Dortmund, despite losing 3-1 in the second leg. The contrasting fortunes of these two matches highlighted the unpredictable nature of knockout football.
For Aston Villa, this marked the end of their first European Cup campaign since the 1982-83 season, when they were the reigning champions. Manager Unai Emery expressed pride in his team's performance, emphasizing their potential to return stronger next season.
“We showed we can compete at the highest level,” Emery stated. “Now it’s all about qualifying again, as we sit in seventh place in the Premier League, just a point off the Champions League spots.”
As PSG looks ahead to the semifinals, questions linger about their ability to secure the coveted Champions League title, a trophy that has eluded them despite significant investments in talent over the years. Their journey continues, but the specter of past failures looms large as they strive for glory in Europe.
