Khvicha KVaratskhelia scored one of the great goals of the Champions League while Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat Aston Villa 3-1 during the first leg of them in the quarter-final on Wednesday. Morgan Rogers had given Villa an advance of the 35th minute at the Parc des Princes to silence fans of the house, but PSG was quickly at the level of the fine shot by Doue desire. Kvaratskhelia then took the front of the stage with an astonishing effort over 49 minutes, before Nuno Mendes added a crucial third in time, giving PSG a significant cushion of two goals to be returned to Birmingham next Tuesday.
Having eliminated Liverpool in the last 16 times, the Luis Enrique team is now in a very strong position to reach the semi-finals for the second season.
“We are satisfied with this result, but we have to continue because there is the second match and the work is not over,” Kvaratskhelia told Broadcaster Canal Plus, before claiming that he did not remember his sublime goal.
“It was ok. I didn’t remember exactly but now I’m going to check inside so that I will see if it was good enough.”
Villa, who had Prince William in the crowd of Paris supporting them with his son George, will have to produce a memorable fight at home if they want to make the last four of the Europe Club competition for the first time since they raised the trophy in 1982.
“We have managed to obtain the opening goal which is almost the most difficult thing to do, but we were against a large team. You must admit it,” said Lucas Digne to Canal Plus.
“They have produced moments of shine. Now we have to do the work in the return. We will have to open a little more but it is always doable.”
Villa can perhaps draw inspiration from what happened the last time that their coach Unai Emery faced Luis Enrique in the Champions League.
In 2017, Emery’s PSG defeated Barcelona 4-0 at home during a first stage of equality during 16 years, to collapse at Camp Nou and lose 6-1 against the Catalans of Luis Enrique.
The latter, hoping now to lead PSG to his first championship of the Champions League, was without skipper suspended Marquinhos here and also left Bradley Barcola on the bench for the first time in this European campaign.
This meant that Doue and Kvaratskhelia finished the home attack with the top scorer Ousmane Dembele.
Villa has entered this match on a series of seven consecutive victories in all competitions, while Marco Asensio, loaned by PSG, began as a substitute against his parent club.
Visitors were happy to sit down and the first half took place almost exclusively in their half, Dembele giving the tone of a sliding early strike which was overthrown by Emiliano Martinez.
The Argentinian goalkeeper, a hero of his country during the World Cup final in 2022 against France, was noisily dreamed and had a busy night.
However, Villa seized the advance against the game race in the 35th minute.
Captain John McGinn stole Mendes just inside the villa and chose Marcus Rashford on the left. He then slipped into your Tielemans whose ball on the side of the goal left Rogers with an easy finish.
PSG responded quickly, Martinez almost ridding a Doue shot on the line before the equalizer comes from the resulting corner.
The hosts worked the ball from right to left in Doue, which advanced towards the repair surface before curling a wonderful shot beyond Martinez in the most distant corner.
It was the last moment of magic of the 19-year-old player, who recently won his first cap in France, but his strike was overshadowed by that of Kvaratskhelia while the Georgian put the PSG before four minutes after half.
Emery replaced Matty Cash at half-time by the right back having been reserved for a fault on KVaratskhelia.
Axel Disasi appeared but did not have an answer because Kvaratskhelia was released on the left by Fabian Ruiz and advanced in the box.
The former Napoli winger fascinated the Disasi while riding his stallions on the ball before breaking a thunderous shot in front of Martinez, in the nearby post.
Villa sent a series of substitutes, including Asensio, while they were trying to find a way back in the game, while Achraf Hakimi had a prohibited effort.
Dembele then released Mendes to turn Martinez and do it 3-1 in time of time, leaving the PSG with a foot in the semi-finals.
(This story has not been published by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a unionized flow.)
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