Paris Saint-Germain is among the top four in Europe, but not without suffering. Although they lost 3-2 in their visit to England, the French team made the advantage of the first leg (3-1) to eliminate Aston Villa in a tie that had excitement from start to finish. Luis Enrique's team was 0-2 up in the match, but the English team's thrust shook the Parisians, who counted on Gianluigi Donnarumma as a key figure to prevent the comeback.
A Startup That Seemed to Doom
PSG came out determined and took advantage of the space on the flanks. After just 10 minutes, Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring after a good combination that started at the feet of Nuno Mendes and culminated in a precise cross from Barcola. The Spanish-Moroccan full-back calmly finished off a mistake by Emiliano Martinez.
With the score at 0-1, PSG did not slow down. They continued to attack quickly and once again struck down the left flank. Mendes, this time on the scoresheet, scored the second goal in a lightning counter-attack that seemed to seal the tie before the half-hour mark. The aggregate score was 5-1 to the French, but the script still had unexpected twists and turns.
Villa Park, despite the confusing atmosphere generated by the anthem mistake at the beginning, pushed their team. The first serious warning came with a shot from Morgan Rogers, and shortly after, Youri Tielemans got the discount with a deflected shot that misled Donnarumma, giving life to the locals.
Aston Villa Believed And Almost Succeeded
The break did not stop the ambition of Unai Emery's team. At the start of the second half, John McGinn fired a strong and placed shot to level the match. The Parisian defense could not control the local intensity and doubts began to appear in the visiting team.
Aston Villa took advantage of the blow and found the third just two minutes later. A great individual play by Marcus Rashford down the flank ended in a back pass to Ezri Konsa, who finished with quality. With the score at 3-2 and the aggregate 5-4, Villa needed just one more goal to force extra time.
The pressure on PSG was constant. Tielemans came close to scoring his brace with a header, but Donnarumma came up with a quick reaction. The Italian goalkeeper also stopped an attempt from Marco Asensio, on loan from PSG to the English side, preventing the tie from being drawn.
Donnarumma, The Unexpected Hero
Although goals from Hakimi and Mendes were decisive, the name that saved PSG was Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper had at least three key interventions that prevented the total comeback of Aston Villa. In a hostile environment and with the team overwhelmed at times, his performance was vital.
Coach Luis Enrique acknowledged after the match that his team suffered more than they should have, but appreciated the character shown in difficult moments. PSG did not have the control they usually show in other matches, but managed to survive a very complicated night.
PSG's progress to the semifinals confirms their growth in this edition of the Champions League. Although it has not yet achieved its goal of lifting the trophy, it is among the top four and now awaits an opponent: Arsenal or Real Madrid. Whatever happens, the Parisian team will have to improve its performance if it wants to continue to advance.
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A Playoff That Teaches Lessons
For Aston Villa, the elimination hurts, but leaves a good feeling. Despite the difference in squads and experience, the English team fought until the end and came within one goal of making history. Emery managed to make his team believe and compete on equal terms against a giant of the continent.
The fans also responded. Villa Park was a cauldron throughout the match, and the atmosphere pushed their players. Although they did not manage to complete the comeback, the team left a very positive image on their return to the big European stages.
PSG, for their part, know that they cannot afford to relax if they want to reach the final. The attacking talent is clear, but the suffering experienced in Birmingham shows that there are still details to be adjusted. The Champions League is unforgiving, and the opponents to come will be no easier.
However, the story continues for the French. The ticket to the semi-finals is already in the bag, but the road to Wembley still has two more stops to go.
