Paris Saint-Germain narrowly booked their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after surviving a pulsating second-half comeback from Aston Villa, progressing 5-4 on aggregate despite a 3-2 defeat on the night in Birmingham.
The French champions looked to be cruising after a dominant opening spell saw full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes extend their aggregate lead to 5-1 within the first 27 minutes.
But Villa, powered by raw determination and a raucous home crowd, came roaring back—threatening to produce another famous European night.
After winning the first leg 3-1 in Paris, PSG wasted no time asserting control in the return fixture. Luis Enrique’s side stormed ahead early, with Bradley Barcola’s bursting run and cross forcing an error from Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez. Hakimi pounced on the loose ball and fired in the opener after just 11 minutes.
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PSG doubled their lead soon after with a blistering counterattack. Ousmane Dembélé squared a perfectly weighted pass for Mendes, who calmly slotted home his fourth goal of the Champions League campaign and second of the tie.
At that point, it looked like the tie was over. But Aston Villa had other plans. Just before halftime, Youri Tielemans’ deflected strike gave the hosts a lifeline. The goal ignited belief across Villa Park—and among notable fans in the stands, including Prince William and his son, George.
Early in the second half, Villa turned up the heat. John McGinn’s powerful, deflected shot leveled the score on the night, and within moments, Ezri Konsa finished off a slick move initiated by Marcus Rashford to make it 3-2. The aggregate now stood at 5-4, and PSG were wobbling.
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As Villa pushed for a historic comeback, PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma stepped up. The Italian goalkeeper made several crucial saves—denying Tielemans, Rashford, and Asensio—to preserve PSG’s slender lead. His heroic performance was reminiscent of the kind that turns players into legends during the Champions League knockout rounds.
Luis Enrique, who famously oversaw Barcelona’s dramatic 6-1 comeback against PSG in 2017, now found himself on the opposite end of a potential collapse. But this time, he survived.
Villa kept the pressure on. Konsa came agonizingly close to leveling the tie with a free header, and Rashford continued to torment PSG’s backline until he was replaced by Ollie Watkins—a move that arguably tipped momentum back in PSG’s favor.
In the dying minutes, Hakimi and teenager Désiré Doué nearly sealed it, but Martinez stood firm. Then, in stoppage time, Willian Pacho made a vital block to deny Ian Maatsen’s goalbound shot, sparing PSG from extra time and securing their semi-final spot.
Despite the defeat, Aston Villa walked off the pitch to a standing ovation. This was their first real taste of Champions League football since 1983—and they surpassed all expectations. Unai Emery’s men may have fallen short, but they made Europe sit up and take notice.
For PSG, the dream lives on. With the Ligue 1 title already in the bag, they can now focus entirely on conquering Europe. Arsenal, who take a commanding 3-0 lead into their second leg against defending champions Real Madrid, are the likely semi-final opponents.
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