Aston Villa secured a famous 3-2 victory against Paris Saint-Germain at a roaring Villa Park on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, but ultimately exited the UEFA Champions League 5-4 on aggregate after a breath-taking quarter-final second leg.
Unai Emery’s Villa side faced a monumental task, needing to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg in Paris. The dream of a semi-final spot seemed to evaporate early as PSG, showcasing their European pedigree, struck twice within the first half-hour.
Early PSG Goals Set Mountainous Task
The French champions, looking comfortable and aiming to kill the tie, took the lead after just 11 minutes. Full-back Achraf Hakimi found the net, silencing the expectant home crowd and extending PSG’s aggregate advantage. The situation worsened for Villa on 27 minutes when Nuno Mendes fired home PSG’s second, putting the visitors 2-0 up on the night and a seemingly unassailable 5-1 ahead overall. Villa Park was stunned, but the team refused to buckle.
Aston Villa Roar Back in Stirring Fightback
Showing immense character, Aston Villa clawed one back before the interval. Youri Tielemans struck in the 34th minute, injecting belief back into the players and the stands. This goal provided a crucial platform for what was to become a sensational second-half display.
The roof nearly came off Villa Park shortly after the restart. Inspired captain John McGinn produced a moment of brilliance, driving forward and unleashing a powerful shot to make it 2-2 on the night in the 55th minute. Just two minutes later, the comeback was truly on. Defender Ezri Konsa found himself in the right place to score Villa’s third, putting them 3-2 ahead and bringing the aggregate score to a nail-biting 4-5.
PSG Survive Late Onslaught
With over half an hour still to play, Villa threw everything at the PSG defence, searching for the goal that would level the aggregate score and potentially force extra time. The atmosphere was electric as the Premier League side pushed relentlessly. However, PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma stood firm, making several vital saves, including notable stops from Tielemans and Marco Asensio, to keep his side’s narrow advantage intact. Despite late pressure, including a stoppage-time effort cleared near the line, Villa couldn’t find the fourth goal.
Valiant Exit for Aston Villa, Emery’s Men
While the final whistle confirmed PSG’s progression to the Champions League semi-finals, the night belonged to Aston Villa’s spirit. They became the first team to score three goals against the French champions in a single match this season. Manager Unai Emery expressed immense pride in his team’s performance against his former club, highlighting their resilience and deserving place on Europe’s biggest stage. Though their debut Champions League journey ends here, Aston Villa proved they belong among Europe’s elite with a performance that will live long in the memory. PSG, meanwhile, survived a significant scare to keep their own UCL dreams alive.
Also read on Todays UCL fixtures.
