Synopsis
Despite a 3-2 loss to Aston Villa in the quarterfinals' second leg, Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the UEFA Champions League semifinals with a 5-4 aggregate score, thanks to early goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes.Key Takeaways
- PSG progresses to the semifinals with a 5-4 aggregate score.
- Aston Villa fought hard but fell short in the second leg.
- Early goals by Hakimi and Mendes were crucial for PSG.
- Donnarumma made several key saves to maintain PSG's advantage.
- Manager Luis Enrique praised the team's resilience and growth.
Birmingham, April 16 (NationPress) Early strikes from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes propelled Paris Saint-Germain into the UEFA Champions League semifinals with a 5-4 aggregate score, even after succumbing to a 3-2 defeat in the quarterfinals' second leg against Aston Villa.
The Villans began energetically, eager to overturn last week's 3-1 loss in Paris, winning two corners within the initial four minutes.
Villa's open strategy created opportunities for their swift rivals, and PSG capitalized when Nuno Mendes delivered a stunning pass to the left, setting up Bradley Barcola. Barcola's cross was redirected back to Achraf Hakimi by Emiliano Martínez, enabling the advancing full-back to slot a precise finish past the goalkeeper, as reported by UEFA.
The finalists from 2019/20 relied on Gianluigi Donnarumma to thwart Pau Torres' attempt from a tight angle, before they struck again as Nuno Mendes wrapped up another elegant counterattack with a ruthless finish off the post.
Youri Tielemans added to Villa's tally with a curling shot that found the net after a heavy touch from Willian Pacho 11 minutes prior to halftime.
Captain John McGinn also benefited from a deflection when his long-range effort looped over Donnarumma, who soon after had to stretch to tip over Marcus Rashford's shot from outside the penalty area.
There was little Donnarumma could do when Ezri Konsa netted Villa's third goal after exceptional skill from Rashford. Tielemans nearly equalized on aggregate but for a remarkable save from Donnarumma, who diverted a powerful header.
Marco Asensio, on loan from Paris, forced another extraordinary stop from the Paris goalkeeper, who used his legs to block the substitute's attempt in a one-on-one situation with ten minutes left in this thrilling decider.
The Ligue 1 champions required a vital block from Pacho to deny a goal-bound volley from Ian Maatsen at the last moment, but Luis Enrique's squad maintained their composure, securing their progression and ending Villa's memorable Champions League debut.
"I will not forget this match for a long time. This tournament is fantastic – it demands management of numerous factors, and playing away is always challenging. It was an unusual game because we dominated from the onset and netted two goals, which was fantastic. However, we made some errors and had to face the consequences.
"Conceding two goals in three minutes in such an atmosphere is always tough. But it is crucial for us, as we can develop from that experience," PSG manager Luis Enrique remarked post-match.
