PSG & Barcelona reach Champions League semi-finals
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (4-5 agg) - Villa come from 2-0 down to win on night but PSG edge through
FT: Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (3-5 agg) - Barca through despite Guirassy hat-trick on night
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 (agg 4-5) PSG
Beating Bayern Munich at home. Progressing directly to the next round in the top eight.
Thrashing Club Brugge in the last-16.
And now a valiant performance against PSG.
It's been a heck of a ride for Aston Villa.
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesFT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
Julien Laurens
European football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
On Marcus Rashford being substituted...
I was delighted when I saw his number coming up on the board, but I didn't understand it and I didn't think it made sense.
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 Live
You don't get to this stage in this competition very often and this was Aston Villa's chance.
I think Villa were 70% in this game. If they played at that pace for the whole 90 then they would have had a chance.
Those energy levels weren't there all the way through the game and PSG just pipped it in the end.
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
Unreal from Villa given only six years ago we were hammered 3-0 to Wigan away in the Championship. Now we’ve beaten PSG on the day and taken it to the wire. I’m so proud in defeat.
Will
I'm not a Villa fan but that was incredible. Emery has built some team, their mentality is steel. AVFC fans should be very proud today, they pushed a world-class side to the limit.
Anon
Fair play to Villa, they gave it a real go and were brilliant in the second half. Sadly for them, they didn't play well enough in the other 135 minutes of the tie and gave themselves too much to do! Maybe next season!
Alex
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
Stephen Warnock
Former Aston Villa defender on BBC Radio 5 Live
I don't know what Unai Emery saw, with the way Marcus Rashford was playing, he got it wrong. Rashford was brilliant.
Rashford was involved in everything and everything which was good was coming from him.
It felt like the tempo dropped when he made that substitution. You need a goal - why are you taking a striker off?
If you want to pin PSG back, you play Rashford and Watkins in between the full-back and centre-halves and you stretch those balls over the top.
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5_
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa's Ezri Konsa, speaking to Amazon Prime: "Very proud of the boys and what we did tonight. The two goals at the start killed us but we showed great belief and character to get back into it. We won the second leg but it wasn't enough.
"At half-time we felt we had nothing to lose. We wanted to go out there and prove a point. We had chances, I think I scored the hardest one. I don't think we could have done any more. I missed the ball [for a header], it happens.
"He [Gianluigi Donnarumma] made some excellent saves. We showed tonight we can compete at the highest level and we want to do it again next season."
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 (agg 4-5) PSG
Oh how different things might have been at the end there.
That Ian Maatsen strike was absolutely sweet as a nut and looked headed for the bottom corner.
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 Live
PSG play some great stuff. They probably edged it on the night with their football and their organisation.
But their big keeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma has stood tall. He clawed one out of the goal, but you need every player to get over the line.
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
I’m so, so proud of our Villa boys tonight. What an effort all season in the Champions League, nobody thought we’d be here against possibly the best team in the world right now. Well fought lads and a shame to fall just short in the end.
Stephen
I've never been so proud to be a Villa fan. An incredible performance and result against one of the best teams in the world. UTV!
Chris, Kent
What a game. Super Proud of this Villa Team. What a ride it's been, we'll be back for more.
Graham
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 Live
Difficult one for Villa.
They did everything they could do. They were second best when it comes to possession. The energy levels from PSG in the first half kind of killed the game.
For me, Marcus Rashford is man of the match for Villa. I don't think this Villa side could have done anymore than what they did tonight.
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (agg 3-5)
Image source, EPABarcelona's 24-game unbeaten run is over but they won't care, they're into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Credit to Dortmund, they made it a wonderfully entertaining game.
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (agg 3-5)
It's taken short to Julian Brandt but he puts in a terrible cross and it sails out of play.
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (agg 3-5)
A corner for Dortmund late on.
FT: Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
John Murray
BBC Radio 5 Live chief football correspondent at Villa Park
Unai Emery is furious. He kicks over a drink in frustration. He looks devastated that his team is out.
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (agg 3-5)
Frenkie de Jong is first to the ball once again and wins a free-kick off Ramy Bensebaini.
Brilliant play from the midfielder.
Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
Image source, Getty ImagesThat's that. What an absolutely brilliant effort from Aston Villa.
Their players look absolutely gutted.
PSG are into the semi-finals!
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (agg 3-5)
Dortmund have four minutes to score two goals to force extra time.
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)
The PSG of old would have capitulated tonight. Since the second goal it's been a masterclass in game management from the French team. Great effort by Villa, fair play.
David, Cardiff
Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (agg 4-5)
John Murray
BBC Radio 5 Live chief football correspondent at Villa Park
PSG are already celebrating.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 21 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 19 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 13 | 19 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 19 |
| |
| 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 18 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 16 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 16 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 16 |
| |
| 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 15 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 15 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 15 |
| |
14 PSV | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 14 |
|
| 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 13 |
| |
16 Benfica | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 13 |
|
| 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| |
18 Brest | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 13 |
|
19 Feyenoord | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 21 | -3 | 13 |
|
| 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 12 |
| |
| 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 12 |
| |
| 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 11 |
| |
23 Sporting CP | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 11 |
|
24 Club Brugge | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 11 |
|
25 Dinamo Zagreb | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 11 |
|
26 Stuttgart | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 10 |
|
27 Shakhtar Donetsk | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 16 | -8 | 7 |
|
28 Bologna | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 6 |
|
29 Red Star Belgrade | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 22 | -9 | 6 |
|
30 Sturm Graz | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 6 |
|
31 Sparta Prague | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
|
| 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 3 |
| |
33 Girona | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 3 |
|
34 Red Bull Salzburg | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 27 | -22 | 3 |
|
35 Slovan Bratislava | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 27 | -20 | 0 |
|
36 Young Boys | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 24 | -21 | 0 |
|
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Luis Enrique
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Luis Enrique
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
UEFA Champions League
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Aston Villa have lost three of their four games against French sides in European competition under Unai Emery, with all three of those defeats coming in succession (1-2 v Lille, 0-1 v Monaco, and 1-3 v Paris SG). Their one victory did come in the only one of these four played at Villa Park, however, beating Lille 2-1 in April 2024 (UEFA Conference League).
Of the seven previous occasions when Paris SG have won the first leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout stage tie by 2+ goals, the French side have been eliminated on three occasions. Should they fail to progress here, they’ll have been eliminated from more European Cup/UEFA Champions League knockout stage ties having had a 2+ goal lead from the first leg than any other team (4).
Aston Villa’s defeat against Paris SG in the reverse fixture was the third time they’ve lost by 2+ goals in the first leg of a knockout stage tie in major European competition, while they failed to progress in each of the previous two instances (on aggregate: 1-5 v Royal Antwerp in 1975-76 in the UEFA Cup and 2-6 v Olympiakos last season in the UEFA Conference League).
Paris SG have only won four of their 17 away games against English teams in European competition (D4 L9). One of those victories did come in the most recent one (1-0 v Liverpool in March), however, ending a run of four straight defeats in such fixtures.
Since the start of the 2022-23 season, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has only lost one of his 13 home matches in major European competition as a manager, while winning 11 of them (D1). His only defeat in this run came in May 2024 against Olympiakos (2-4 in the UEFA Conference League semi-final, first leg).
Paris SG have averaged 11.2 high turnovers per game in the UEFA Champions League this season; their most in a single edition on record (since 2012-13). They’ve also recorded 36 shot-ending high turnovers in 2024-25, which is more than they had in the previous three editions combined (28).
Paris SG have four different players who’ve been directly involved in 5+ goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, in Ousmane Dembélé (9), Achraf Hakimi (6), Bradley Barcola (6) and Désiré Doué (5). They’ve never previously had more players do so in a single edition, while they have three players currently on four goal involvements (Gonçalo Ramos, Fabián Ruiz, and Nuno Mendes).
Morgan Rogers has been directly involved in six goals for Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League this season (four goals, two assists). Only two English players aged under-23 have ever had more goal involvements in a single edition of the competition: Jude Bellingham (9) and Bukayo Saka (8), both in 2023-24.
Paris SG midfielder João Neves has applied more high-intensity pressures than any other midfielder in the UEFA Champions League this season (651), while his 42 tackles are the most by a midfielder in a single edition of the competition since Real Madrid’s Casemiro in 2017-18 (45).
Youri Tielemans leads all Aston Villa players in the UEFA Champions League this season for passes completed (534) and line-breaking passes (104), as well as possession recoveries (45) and tackles (19).
