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Aston Villa heartbroken after Champions League exit despite PSG comeback victory
Paris Saint-Germain have advanced to the Champions League semifinals despite suffering a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa in a thrilling quarterfinal second leg at Villa Park.
The French champions progressed with a 5-4 aggregate victory, having built upon their 3-1 first-leg advantage with early goals from fullbacks Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes.
Villa mounted a spirited comeback with strikes from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ezri Konsa, but ultimately fell short.
PSG appeared to have sealed the contest within the first half-hour at Villa Park, leaving the home crowd stunned.
Aston Villa suffered heartbreak in the Champions League
Reuters
Hakimi capitalised on Emi Martinez’s failure to claim a low cross, firing home to extend PSG’s aggregate lead.
Just before the 30-minute mark, Mendes rounded off a rapid counter-attack by curling the ball into the bottom corner of Martinez’s net.
This put the visitors in a commanding position, 5-1 up on aggregate and seemingly cruising into the semifinals.
Villa refused to surrender, with Tielemans offering a lifeline before halftime through a deflected effort in the 34th minute.
The hosts then stunned PSG early in the second half with two goals in a remarkable two-minute span.
McGinn found the net first, followed swiftly by Konsa, who capitalised on a dazzling run from Marcus Rashford to score Villa’s third.
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The rapid double strike sent Villa Park into raptures as Unai Emery’s men threatened a comeback for the ages.
Only a string of fine saves from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma prevented Villa from completing their remarkable comeback.
The Italian shot-stopper produced outstanding interventions to deny Tielemans, who came inches away from levelling the tie just before the hour mark.
Donnarumma was called into action again to thwart Marco Asensio, who nearly stunned his parent club after coming off the bench.
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John McGinn arrowed in an outrageous strike to score early into the second-half
Reuters
These crucial saves preserved PSG’s slender aggregate advantage as Villa poured forward in search of an equaliser.
PSG have now knocked out a second Premier League team in this season’s Champions League, having eliminated Liverpool in the round of 16.
The French champions will face either Arsenal or Real Madrid in the semifinals, with the Gunners holding a commanding 3-0 advantage from their first leg.
This marks PSG’s second consecutive appearance in the Champions League’s penultimate round as they continue their quest for a first title in the competition.
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Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off a string of top saves to keep PSG in the match
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Prince William was in attendance, having previously watched the first leg in Paris alongside Prince George.
The royal was seen cheering enthusiastically during Villa’s second-half charge, though his “lucky clothes” ultimately couldn’t inspire a miracle.
Villa’s focus now shifts to their Premier League campaign, where they sit just outside the top five with six games remaining.
Emery’s men face crucial upcoming fixtures against Newcastle and Manchester City in their quest for Champions League qualification.