Aston Villa 3-2 Paris Saint-Germain (Tielemans 34′, McGinn 55′, Konsa 57′ | Hakimi 11′, Mendes 27′) – PSG advance 5-4 on aggregate
VILLA PARK — There was no shame in this, with Aston Villa going down swinging as Paris Saint-Germain held on, just, to advance to the Champions League semi-finals after a memorable encounter.
It wasn’t meant to be for Villa, but what a night, with Unai Emery’s side fighting back from 5-1 down on aggregate to remarkably reignite a contest, goals from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn – a stunner, at that – and Ezri Konsa taking it back to 5-4.
Had it not been for the heroics of PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Villa could have levelled, but the visitors clung on, losing 3-2 on the night but ultimately benefiting from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes’ goals on the counter in the first half.
PSG advance then, that late goal last week now clearly so vital, but boy will this give Arsenal a lift. The Gunners still have to complete the job at Real Madrid on Wednesday, but manage that and they face PSG for a place in the final next, the semi-final first leg being played in a fortnight’s time.
An heroic fight back from Aston Villa, but it wasn’t to be against PSG…
All the key moments here! pic.twitter.com/OPlnbQAJ2b
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 15, 2025
Villa’s mission meanwhile will somehow have to switch from almost achieving a famous comeback to ensuring they return to this competition next season.
After 41 years away, Unai Emery’s side have proved the vital point that they belong in this competition, and after only narrowly succumbing to one of the best sides in Europe in the last eight – with Manchester City and Real Madrid already out – what they’d give to do this all over again.
Tuesday night will leave a lingering taste for it, too. Tasked with being the 12th man, Villa’s supporters brought the noise, channelling the attitude Morgan Rogers exuded and called for before this tie. It had been done before so why not tonight, was the thinking, with belief a far deadlier weapon than hope.
It appeared Emery also felt all-out attack would be self-destructive. Villa’s boss named Ollie Watkins on the bench once more, with Marcus Rashford starting up front as he had done in Paris, while the only change from that first leg – Jacob Ramsey making way for Amadou Onana – spoke of a defensive mindset that seemed to accept PSG’s strengths.
However, willed on by a crowd who had bizarrely just heard the Europa League anthem play out before the right tune was found, Villa started on the front foot and looked promising in the opening 10 minutes.
All this excitement though proved to be their undoing, with Villa caught on the counter in the 11th minute, a blistering attack that started with Rashford being intercepted ending when Emiliano Martinez palmed Bradley Barcola’s cross into the grateful path of Hakimi.
Another counter saw Mendes double PSG’s lead, but that was anything from tie over. Requiring four goals simply to force extra time, Tielemans restored a modicum of hope before the break, and shortly after a sensational looped effort from McGinn reduced the deficit once more.
JOHN MCGINN THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS
The Scotsman thunders one in from range, they couldn't… could they?#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/VHmioNJt9P
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) April 15, 2025
The ground was rocking, more so when Konsa scored a third, and it was then on Donnarumma to save the day for PSG, one hand denying Rashford’s fierce strike before he got down to deny Marco Asensio as well.
More chances followed, Konsa somehow missing Rashford’s cross, Rogers firing over, Ian Maatsen’s shot blocked on the line, but there was to be no fourth that would take this match beyond 90 – much to PSG’s relief.
It called time on Villa’s Champions League journey after 12 games. They were given a 32.3 per cent chance of progressing from the league phase by Opta, and so defied expectations in reaching the last eight.
And so, having gone from once-in-a-generation stuff by simply reaching the Champions League, Villa subsequently proved that this is far from the end for them in this competition. It has lit a spark, reawakening something special in B6 that looks set to have lasting impact, whether they return next season or not.
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