Donnarumma shines as PSG edge past Villa to reach Champions League semis

BIRMINGHAM: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) narrowly edged past Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate in a dramatic UEFA Champions League quarter-final, keeping their dream of a maiden title alive after surviving a fierce second-half onslaught on Wednesday night at Villa Park.

Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, Villa entered the return leg with urgency but were dealt an early blow. PSG’s Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring in the 11th minute, capitalizing on a costly error from Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Nuno Mendes then doubled the advantage in the 27th minute with a clinical finish from a swift counterattack.

Villa responded with determination. Youri Tielemans pulled one back in the 34th minute with a deflected strike, sending the home crowd into a frenzy and ending the first half at 2-1 in PSG’s favor.

The second half belonged to Aston Villa. In a stunning burst of energy, John McGinn struck in the 55th minute, followed just two minutes later by Ezri Konsa, who made it 3-2 on the night.

Despite the momentum, PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma stood tall, making a crucial save between the two goals that ultimately proved decisive in preserving PSG's aggregate advantage.

"Aston Villa made it difficult for us, but we did what we had to do," said PSG captain Marquinhos.

"This is such a tough competition, but we’re improving with every match. Whether we face Arsenal or Real Madrid in the semi-final, we believe this team can go all the way."

Thanks to Donnarumma’s heroics, PSG held on and booked their place in the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of Arsenal vs. Real Madrid. Arsenal currently hold the upper hand after a commanding 3-0 victory in the first leg.