Commentator from “Okko Sport,” Pavel Razhivin, shared his thoughts following the quarterfinal match-up in the Champions League between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain. The first leg saw the Parisians claim a 3:1 victory, while in the return match, the British side emerged triumphant with a score of 3:2, resulting in an aggregate score of 5:4 in favor of PSG.
“It was an exhilarating match between Aston Villa and PSG in the return leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, filled with intense emotions. Aston Villa won the second leg but unfortunately could not advance due to the aggregate score of 5:4, following their 3:2 victory in the second match. It’s quite disappointing for Aston Villa, especially since it was evident how Unai Emery’s team turned the tide from being 0-2 down during the match. Credit goes to Emery and his squad for their resilience.
The Birmingham club showed remarkable character. While PSG seemed to have the upper hand in the first half, slightly relaxing after scoring two early goals, the atmosphere at Villa Park was electric.
I must highlight John McGinn’s performance. He had a phenomenal match, contributing a goal and an assist. The captain truly showcased his leadership, pushing his teammates from PSG while also driving forward to create opportunities against Gianluigi Donnarumma’s net. If John McGinn is the hero for Aston Villa, then for PSG it’s undoubtedly Donnarumma, who made several extraordinary saves that arguably kept PSG in the competition.
A miracle could have happened, and while it didn’t, the match was thrilling and exciting, providing us with a wealth of emotions. We are grateful to Unai Emery for such an engaging game. Aston Villa managed to bounce back strongly after their disappointing first match. However, looking back at the first leg, we recognize that the goal conceded at the very end of the game, in the 90th minute by Nuno Mendes, played a significant role. Had it not been for that, things might have unfolded quite differently. But that’s football for you—anything can happen.
On social media, people joked that before the match, Unai Emery requested the Europa League anthem, feeling more at home with it since he had won it four times. Yet, even that anthem wasn’t of any help to him today. Overall, Aston Villa should be proud; they exit this Champions League season on a high note, while PSG moves on to the semifinals,” Razhivin remarked in an interview with a correspondent from Championship.
