A dominant PSG came back from a goal down to claim a two-goal advantage over Aston Villa in the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Morgan Rogers had given Unai Emery’s side a surprise lead at a raucous Parc des Princes but sublime goals from Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes completed the comeback for the Ligue 1 champions.
Villa, whose run of seven successive victories in all competitions came to an end, could have few complaints about the scoreline as Luis Enrique’s team, breath-taking at times, were impressive throughout.
Emery’s men still have a shot at progression to the last four of Europe’s elite club competition, but it will require a monumental effort at Villa Park next week.
La première manche est pour nous ! 🔴🔵
🔜 Rendez-vous mardi prochain à Villa Park ! 👊ICI C’EST PARIS !!!#PSGAVFC 3-1 | @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/gJuxi54vNf
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) April 9, 2025
Loud boos rang around the stadium for Villa keeper Emi Martinez, who was yesterday spotted wearing a cap showing off Argentina’s World Cup triumph over France.
And the shot-stopper had to be on hand early on to stop Vitinha’s tame effort before being called upon moments later when he pulled off an impressive save to turn away Ousmane Dembele’s left-footed strike.
PSG showed their intent immediately, asserting their dominance from the off.
Villa, meanwhile, struggled to get out of their own half and it looked like Emery’s players could be in for a long night. But on 34-minutes, the visitors sourced an unlikely lead.
John McGinn won back possession in the middle of the pitch before feeding Marcus Rashford. The Manchester United loanee played in Youri Tielemans whose driven cross across the box found Rogers and the England midfielder stroked the ball home.
The lead was to last less than five minutes, however. Martinez clawed the ball off the line and from the resulting short corner, Doue cut in from the left before unleashing a wonderful curling strike that rifled into the net via the underside of the crossbar.
It was a moment of magic from the fledgling teenager, whose surname means ‘gifted’ in French, sparking wild scenes among the home fans.
PSG level the game up!
That finish from Désiré Doué is out of this world 💫
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/NtPzW2cYgL
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 9, 2025
Villa were perhaps fortunate to be on level terms at half-time, but just four minutes after the break, the PSG comeback was complete when Kvaratskhelia turned half-time substitute Axel Disasi inside out before arrowing an effort high into the goal.
It set the tone for the remainder of the second-half. The hosts in total control and constantly threatening the Villa goal.
On 70-minutes, Achraf Hakimi had the ball in the net after a neat exchange with Kvaratskhelia. But the Moroccan full-back was adjudged to have been offside and Villa were spared from going further behind.
Emery introduced Ollie Watkins and PSG loanee Marco Asensio to try and bolster the visitors’ attacking options but PSG remained in the driving seat.
Then came the killer blow in second-half stoppage time. Mendes, up from left-back, was found by Dembele before chopping back inside, wrong-footing Ezri Konsa and Martinez in the process, before tucking the ball away to make it three.
