PSG survive Aston Villa scare to hit UEFA Champions League semifinals

After a five goal thriller at Villa Park, Paris Saint-Germain progressed to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions league for the fourth time in six seasons.

PSG made a bright start, netting twice on the counter-attack within the opening 30 minutes, with full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes providing the finishes.

Aston Villa gave themselves a mountainous challenge but nearly pulled off a historic comeback. A deflected strike from Youri Tielemans got Unai Emery’s side back in the game, before two goals in a matter of minutes from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa saw Villa take the lead in an electric second half.

It was nearly another breakdown in Europe for the French side, but Aston Villa’s 3-2 win on the night was not enough to continue their Champions League journey.

PSG’s 3-1 victory over Aston Villa at the Parc des Princes marked the eighth time the French side have won the first leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout tie by two or more goals. Yet on three of the previous seven occasions, they’ve still gone on to be eliminated. Luis Enrique’s side’s second leg trip to Villa Park was a true test of their European credentials and a chance to prove they could go all the way for the first time in their history.

The Ligue 1 champions got off to the perfect start, storming into the lead in the 11th minute. Bradley Barcola raced in behind Villa’s high line down the left wing and delivered a dangerous ball across the box. Emiliano Martínez came sweeping out to intercept the cross, but spilled it straight to Achraf Hakimi, who fired it into the back of the net.

Les Parisiens doubled their lead on the night through another blistering counter-attack in the 28th minute. After nearly being dispossessed in their own box, PSG played their way out of trouble and broke at speed through Hakimi. He found Ousmane Dembélé, who weighed up his options before squaring it to Nuno Mendes. The left back took a touch and wrapped a left footed strike off the post to put PSG 5-1 ahead on aggregate.

PSG were in cruise control in terms of the scoreline but Unai Emery’s side remained a threat, managing to claw a goal back in the 34th minute through a deflected Youri Tielemans strike. This time it was Villa’s turn to break, and after a smart pass from Marcus Rashford to John McGinn, the Scotsman teed it up for Tielemans inside the box. The Belgian’s curling effort took a wicked deflection off William Pacho and soared away from a helpless Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Needing three goals to level the tie, the Villans required an inspiring second half performance and their captain, John McGinn, sparked hopes of a dramatic comeback in the 55th minute. After a surging run through the middle of the park, McGinn shot from range and it took the slightest of deflections off Pacho to loop over Donnarumma.

The momentum was strongly in the home side’s favour and just minutes after getting one back, they found another. Marcus Rashford had won Villa a corner after initially being denied by a flying save from PSG’s goalkeeper. His out-swinging cross was cleared, but the Manchester United loanee received it again in the second phase, producing two brilliant pieces of skill to skip past two opposition players and get to the byline. He pulled it back and Ezri Konsa was on hand to slot it into the bottom corner.

PSG were on the cusp of yet another collapse in Europe, but were rescued multiple times by Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper produced two big saves – first, clawing away a header by Tielemans to deny Villa a third goal in five minutes, and again in the 69th minute, when he blocked Marco Asensio’s one-on-one chance with his legs.

Villa’s final opportunity came in injury time when Matty Cash’s floated ball into the box was met on the volley by Ian Maatsen. He caught it sweetly and it was bound for the bottom corner, but Pacho stood firm to get his side over the line.

An eventful Champions League quarterfinal sees Les Parisiens reach the final four for the second consecutive campaign. They will face either Arsenal or Real Madrid, with the winner of that tie to be determined tomorrow night at the Santiago Bernabéu. As for Villa, their attentions will have to quickly turn to the Premier League where they are in contention of qualifying for this European tournament again next season.