Aston Villa vs PSG LIVE: Result and reaction as hosts fall just short in Champions League thriller
Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg. 4-5): The hosts came close in a compelling comeback but could not find an equaliser
A remarkable, riotous comeback from Aston Villa fell just short as Paris Saint-Germain clung on to progress to the Champions League semi-finals.
The French capital club looked to be cruising into the last four when they struck twice in the opening half-hour, through full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, to double their advantage in the tie after securing a 3-1 win in Paris last week.
But the hosts came roaring back at a raucous Villa Park. Youri Tielemans’s deflected effort before half time gave them hope before the tie appeared to turn in five second-half minutes as John McGinn and Ezri Konsa struck. It left Villa chasing an equaliser to take the encounter to extra time, and they had their chances - but Unai Emery’s side could not find a fourth, with PSG grateful to Gianluigi Donnarumma for a sprinkling of spectacular saves. They face either Arsenal or Real Madrid in the semi-finals.
Re-live all the Champions League action with our live blog below:
WATCH: Maatsen nearly snatches an equaliser at the death
So, so close to one of the greatest goals in Aston Villa history
Marquinhos: 'We can go all the way and win it'
"We knew it was going to be a difficult game,” Marquinhos told Amazon Prime. “We had belief, we kept our intensity and we believed until the end we were going to go through.
"It is such a difficult competition but we are getting better and better and we are proving we are good team. There is belief that we can go all the way and win it this year.”
Donnarumma comes up trumps for PSG once again
Gianluigi Donnarumma was once again PSG’s Champions League hero tonight.
After being stunned by three near-unstoppable goals - two of which were in part due to crucial deflections off his own teammates - Donnarumma kept PSG’s now-slender advantage in tact for the remaining half an hour.
Two massive saves to deny Marcos Rashford and Youri Tielemans is the minutes after Villa went ahead on the night ensured the game didn’t unravel more than it already had, giving PSG the minutes they so desperately needed to regain composure and put a gameplan into action that saw them see out the tie.
PSG weather Villa storm to book place in Champions League last four
WATCH: Ezri Konsa sends Villa Park into raptures as he puts the hosts in front on the night
We really thought we were watching history unfold before our eyes at this point...
Ezri Konsa: 'We showed tonight we can compete at the highest level'
"Very proud of the boys and what we did tonight,” Konsa told Amazon Prime. “The two goals at the start killed us but we showed great belief and character to get back into it. We won the second leg but it wasn't enough.
"At half-time we felt we had nothing to lose. We wanted to go out there and prove a point. We had chances, I think I scored the hardest one. I don't think we could have done any more. I missed the ball [for a header], it happens.
"He [Gianluigi Donnarumma] made some excellent saves. We showed tonight we can compete at the highest level and we want to do it again next season."
A Champions League night of holding off comebacks
PSG weren’t the only side to stand firm in the face of adversity tonight.
Borussia Dortmund came out 3-1 victors against La Liga leaders Barcelona, winning on the night but failing in their efforts to overturn to mountainous 4-0 deficit faced after the first leg.
Dortmund also had two goals disallowed, which would have drawn the tie level should they have stood.
No famous comebacks to speak of - but a thoroughly entertaining night of football all round, nevertheless.
Aston Villa’s Champions League dream dies as riotous comeback falls just short
Au revoir, Aston Villa. They will not have to clear space in the upper tier of Villa Park for the commentary of another European Cup-winning goal. Or not just yet, anyway.
The class of 1982 remain unique in their history, just as the team of 2025 may prove for Paris Saint-Germain.
But if there was a way to exit the Champions League, this was it. Valiant and magnificent, Villa beat the potential champions of Europe on the night.
Read Richard Jolly’s full report from Villa Park:
Aston Villa’s Champions League dream dies as riotous comeback falls just short
FULL-TIME! Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (4-5 agg.)
Fantastic night, fantastic effort from Villa. 2-0 down on the night, 5-1 down on aggregate, the fear was they would get thrashed.
Instead they gave PSG a scare. But for the brilliance of Donnarumma, they could have taken this to extra time. They go out, but with heads held high.
FULL-TIME! Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (4-5 agg.)
After half an hour, there was a feeling that Villa were about to be dumped out of the Champions League at a canter.
Then came what was so nearly one of the all-time comebacks.
While they won’t be in the last four, Unai Emery’s side proved they belonged with Europe’s heaviest hitters.
No shame to this Champions League exit - and as the fans continue to applaud and hail their plays, that fact is clear to see inside Villa Park.
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