In a dramatic Champions League quarter-final second leg, Paris Saint-Germain suffered a 3-2 defeat away to Aston Villa but still managed to secure a spot in the semi-finals thanks to their 3-1 victory in the first leg at the Parc des Princes. It was a high-stakes evening, marked by a goal from Achraf Hakimi and a two-faced team performance that nearly saw PSG suffer another European heartbreak.
Just 11 minutes into the game, the Moroccan international set his team on the right track. Taking advantage of a poor clearance by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Hakimi latched onto a move started by Barcola on the left flank and calmly slotted home from the penalty spot. It was a crucial goal that gave the Parisians some breathing room. Minutes later, on another lightning-fast counterattack, Nuno Mendes doubled the lead with a brilliant left-footed strike. Paris were 2-0 up after 27 minutes and appeared to have the tie wrapped up.
But as is often the case in the Champions League, nothing is ever certain. Aston Villa gradually took control of the match, cutting the deficit before halftime through a deflected strike from Tielemans. After the break, the English side ramped up the pressure, scoring twice more to make it 3-2. Unai Emery’s men pushed hard until the final whistle, needing just one more goal to force extra time.
Despite PSG’s nervousness and a red card that Hakimi narrowly avoided in the first half after a moment of frustration toward McGinn, the Parisians held on to their aggregate lead (5-4 overall). Luis Enrique’s squad will now head into the last four of the competition, but not without having flirted with disaster. For Achraf Hakimi, who found the net and remained a key figure throughout the match, the qualification is a huge relief — even if the team’s second-half display raised serious concerns.
