Aston Villa’s hopes of advancing to the Champions League have been dashed as they narrowly missed out on completing a remarkable comeback against Paris St Germain.
Villa seemed to be in a dire situation during the first half when goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes gave the French champions a 2-0 lead on the night and a 5-1 advantage on aggregate.
However, a spirited fightback from Unai Emery’s side saw them respond with goals from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, and Ezri Konsa, bringing them to a 3-2 lead on the night and just one goal away from catching up to PSG, who had won the first leg 3-1 the previous week.
They had a perfect opportunity to take the game to extra time but Marco Asensio, facing his parent club, failed to convert a one-on-one chance against Gianluigi Donnarumma, and that miss ultimately led to their 5-4 aggregate defeat.
This concludes a memorable campaign for Villa, highlighted by a notable group stage victory over Bayern Munich, as they had aspirations of replicating their European Cup triumph from 1982.
While their Champions League journey has come to an end, Villa still have ongoing pursuits in securing qualification for next season's competition and are also eyeing silverware, with an FA Cup semi-final approaching next weekend.
PSG had appeared to be the frontrunners in the tournament as they aimed for their first Champions League title, but Villa showcased their vulnerabilities, something that potential semi-final opponents Arsenal would have taken note of.
This match at Villa Park was one of the most significant since their quarter-final defeat to Juventus in 1983, although the excitement prior to kick-off was dampened when the Europa League anthem was mistakenly played instead of the Champions League theme.
PSG wasted no time asserting their dominance in the opening 27 minutes by scoring two crucial goals, seemingly putting the tie out of reach for Villa.
The first goal arrived in the 11th minute following a swift counter-attack, with Emiliano Martinez failing to secure Bradley Barcola’s cross, allowing Hakimi to convert from close range.
Exploiting defensive gaps within Villa's setup, PSG doubled their lead as Ousmane Dembele set up Nuno Mendes for a precise finish off the post.
Villa managed to reduce the deficit seven minutes later as Tielemans capitalized on a pass from McGinn, his shot deflecting off Willian Pacho's chest into the net.
The tides turned swiftly as Villa netted two goals in under three minutes after the break.
McGinn ignited the comeback in the 55th minute, his shot deflecting off Pacho and over Donnarumma to level the score 2-2 on the night, trailing PSG by two goals on aggregate.
Donnarumma made an acrobatic save to deny Rashford's impressive attempt, but Villa took the lead from the ensuing corner. Rashford showcased his skills as he dribbled into the box and set up Konsa for a decisive strike from close range.
The atmosphere at Villa Park was electric as the hosts gained momentum, with Tielemans testing Donnarumma with a headed effort before Pau Torres missed a chance over the bar.
The pivotal moment arrived in the 69th minute when Villa had a golden opportunity to equalize on aggregate.
It seemed like fate when Asensio faced his parent club in a one-on-one situation, but Donnarumma made a crucial save with his legs. When Konsa missed a header shortly after, it signaled that Villa's chance may have slipped away.
A late attempt from Ian Maatsen was cleared off the line, but Villa exited the competition with pride.