Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to secure a vital 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash at the Parc des Princes.
The English side struck first in the 35th minute through young midfielder Morgan Rogers, stunning the home crowd and putting Villa in the driver’s seat. However, their lead was short-lived. Just four minutes later, 19-year-old French talent Désiré Doué found the equalizer with a composed finish, marking a crucial goal on his biggest European stage yet.
PSG came out firing in the second half, and it didn’t take long for the hosts to take control. Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia capitalized on a defensive lapse to put Luis Enrique’s men in front in the 49th minute. As the game stretched into stoppage time, Nuno Mendes added a third goal in the 90+2nd minute, giving the Parisians a healthy two-goal cushion going into the second leg.
The result reflects a composed and professional performance from PSG, who now head to Villa Park next week with a strong advantage. Luis Enrique will be pleased with his side’s resilience and attacking sharpness, but he knows better than to underestimate Unai Emery’s ability to turn ties around, especially on home soil.
Villa will need a magical performance in the return leg if they are to keep their Champions League dreams alive. The two-goal deficit is a tough challenge, but not an impossible one, especially with the passionate Villa faithful behind them.
