- Aston Villa beat Paris Saint-Germain 3–2 but were eliminated with a 5–4 aggregate loss
- Serhou Guirassy’s brace gave PSG control before Villa turned the match around in two second-half minutes
- Donnarumma made key saves to deny Villa a fourth goal that would have forced extra time
Key Takeaways:
Aston Villa managed a 3–2 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, but it wasn’t enough, as the French side advanced to the semifinals with a 5–4 aggregate. PSG now await the winner between Arsenal and Real Madrid.
The Parisians took a two-goal lead after strikes from full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. Youri Tielemans pulled one back in the 34th minute, and after the break, the Birmingham side completed a dramatic turnaround within just two minutes. John McGinn and Ezri Konsa found the net between the 55th and 57th minutes. Villa had several brilliant chances to equalise the aggregate score, but Gianluigi Donnarumma produced several outstanding saves.
Paris hold on to book their semi-final spot… 🔴🔵#UCL pic.twitter.com/CHGSDwkwkG
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 15, 2025
The Birmingham side started aggressively and tried to pressure the visitors. An early run by Marcus Rashford didn’t end with a shot, and in the eighth minute, a surge from Rogers down the right troubled the French defence. The ball reached Tielemans, who looked for Rashford, but Marquinhos was well-positioned.
In the 11th minute, Villa lost possession, and PSG countered perfectly. Barcola broke forward and sent a cross into the box. Emiliano Martínez attempted to intervene but mishandled it, deflecting the ball into the path of Hakimi, who slotted it home.
Unai Emery’s side fought hard but couldn’t seriously threaten PSG. The visitors’ counterattacks caused greater problems for Villa’s defence. In the 24th minute, Morgan Rogers drove forward and took a decent shot, but the ball went wide of Donnarumma’s right post.
Villa’s vulnerability to quick transitions was punished again in the 27th minute with a second goal. The hosts tried to press high and won the ball, only to lose it seconds later. Dembélé led a fast break and passed to Nuno Mendes, who beat Martínez with a superb strike.
Despite the setback, Villa didn’t despair and continued to push forward. At one point, Tielemans appealed for a penalty after going down in the box. Seconds later, he scored. The goal came from a brilliant team move involving Rashford and McGinn, and Tielemans’ shot deflected off Pacho, leaving Donnarumma helpless.
The second half started with high intensity from the hosts. Luis Enrique’s side didn’t look concerned but conceded twice in quick succession. McGinn found a gap through the middle and fired a beautiful shot to equalise the score on the night. Villa kept attacking, and Donnarumma made a spectacular save to deny Rashford.
Rashford was central to Villa’s third goal. He beat two defenders inside the box and laid the ball off to Konsa, who smashed it in, lifting the crowd at Villa Park. The hosts were nearly level on aggregate a minute later, but Tielemans’ header was denied by another brilliant Donnarumma save.
PSG never fell back to protect their lead. They kept pushing forward and even pressed deep in Villa’s half. It was admirable, but risky. Martínez saved well in the 76th minute when Dembélé broke through the defence. Moments later, Dembélé had another chance but shot over despite having better options.
Martínez did well to come off his line and stop substitute Désiré Doué a minute before full-time. In stoppage time, Villa created one final chance, but Maatsen’s volley was blocked by Pacho.