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:
Aston Villa 0-1 PSG
24 mins: CLOSE! Rogers has been one of Villa’s key sources of threat this season, and he showed exactly why there.
He receives the ball and drives to square up against Pacho, fooling the defender before whipping his effort just past the far post.
One of these chances go in and we’ve got a serious tie on our hands.
Aston Villa 0-1 PSG
22 mins: PSG tick it around the box but as Mendes tries to break into the box, Kamara slides in to make a superb challenge.
Aston Villa 0-1 PSG
19 mins: SAVE! Aston Villa have their first real chance of the game as the ball falls to Pau Torres off the back a misplaced PSG header, hitting hit first time and stinging the palms of Donnarumma.
They’re enjoying a period of pressure at the moment.
Aston Villa 0-1 PSG
17 mins: The home fans have been stunned but they are trying to regain some voice as the away end continues to bask in their early boost.
Villa had started the better of the two, but the sheer speed of PSG caught them cold.
Aston Villa 0-1 PSG
15 mins: Aston Villa have been dealt the early blow they would have dreaded.
They’ve got a mountain to climb now.
GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 PSG
11 mins: GOAL! A NIGHTMARE FOR VILLA!
PSG strike the hosts on the break as Dembele surges forward. He plays it across aiming for a blue shirt in the middle and while Martinez is able to intervene, he can only parry it straight to Hakimi who fires home.
An early goal for PSG - exactly what the hosts would have dreaded.
Villa Park is bouncing
A sensational atmosphere here. It has rarely been louder. They turned the volume up for Hi Ho Aston Villa.
Yet, among rain, wind and cold, a bunch of bare-chested Parisians are bouncing in their corner of the ground.
Villa have started at pace but PSG's team is brimming with speed.
Aston Villa 0-0 PSG
8 mins: Tielemans tries to slip through Rashford who darts in behind but Marquinhos reads it brilliantly and steps across to intervene, preventing Rashford a run at goal.
The seasoned Brazilian will be hard to break down tonight.
Aston Villa 0-0 PSG
6 mins: First time Villa’s defence is called into action as Dembele breaks into the box before trying to find Joao Neves in the centre - Konsa does his job and steps in.
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