Paris Saint-Germain clinched a nail-biting 5-4 aggregate victory over Aston Villa to secure their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, despite a 3-2 defeat in a pulsating second leg at Villa Park on Tuesday.
The French giants, who led 3-1 from the first leg on April 8, appeared to seal their progression early with goals from full-backs Achraf Hakimi (11th minute) and Nuno Mendes (27th), building a commanding 5-1 aggregate lead. However, Villa’s spirited second-half comeback, fueled by a frenzied 42,000-strong home crowd, nearly upended PSG’s campaign, marking one of the tournament’s most dramatic nights.
Villa’s fightback began with Youri Tielemans’ deflected strike in the 34th minute, narrowing the gap to 5-2 on aggregate. The hosts erupted after the break, with captain John McGinn blasting a long-range rocket in the 55th minute, followed by Ezri Konsa’s close-range finish two minutes later, assisted by a dazzling Marcus Rashford dribble, making it 5-4.
PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma emerged as the hero, denying Rashford’s vicious shot and Tielemans’ header with stunning saves, while defender William Pacho blocked a stoppage-time volley from Ian Maatsen to preserve the lead. “We suffered, but we showed resilience,” said PSG captain Marquinhos, praising Donnarumma’s six saves, per UEFA stats.
PSG manager Luis Enrique, haunted by Villa boss Unai Emery’s 2017 Barcelona comeback against his PSG side, admitted nerves when Villa surged. “This is the Champions League—quality opponents push you,” he told Amazon Prime. Emery, despite defeat, lauded Villa’s effort, noting their 17-match unbeaten home run in all competitions.
PSG, unbeaten in Ligue 1 and French Cup finalists, now face either Arsenal or Real Madrid, with Arsenal leading 3-0 from their first leg, per BBC Sport. Villa exited to a standing ovation, having defied expectations in their first Champions League season since 1982-83, with posts on X reflecting pride in their “heroic” display. PSG’s quest for a first European title continues, with a semi-final clash set for April 29, 2025, in Munich.