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Aston Villa go through all the emotions after being edged out by PSG in thrilling fightback

Aston Villa go through all the emotions after being edged out by PSG in what was a thrilling fightback on Tuesday night.

What a Champions League quarter-final second leg is was. One that will live long in our memories. It was a rollercoaster of emotions.

Pure drama at Villa Park, watching the home side just fall short in a 5-4 aggregate defeat. Trailing 3-1 from the first leg, PSG seemed to seal the tie early with goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, leaving Villa 5-1 down on aggregate.

However, Youri Tielemans sparked hope with a deflected strike in the 34th minute, and the second half saw Villa roar back with two goals in two minutes from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa, making it 3-2 on the night and 4-5 on aggregate.

The atmosphere was something else. Electric, buzzing, tense, with fans, including Prince William and George also seen riding every moment, as Villa pushed for the equaliser.

PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s heroic saves, notably denying Konsa and Ian Maatsen, saw PSG hold on lead, leaving Villa fans heartbroken yet proud.

POST-MATCH REACTION

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, speaking to Amazon Prime: “Good evening. I am very proud of everything. Getting to this level is the next step forward, I want to try to win with Aston Villa. We played two legs, we competed well and it wasn’t even. Today we competed better and we were close to the result. I want to try to work for my next process at Aston Villa. The crowd was fantastic, they gave us energy. Even at 2-0. Still, a little bit more to do better to try to get it.

“Every player at this level has a huge level to play and to try and be a protagonist. We were a protagonist as well with our skills. We were focused on our game plan. I was thinking only to play out game plan and be consistent. We were attacking and those transitions, they were clinical. We knew it. We tried to avoid transition and today we took the new game plan and were pushing more.

“It is now most important to get Europe again. The most important competition is the Champions League. The challenge we have for the last six matches is to try and get Europe and the Champions League.

On Rashford: “It is difficult to plan it now. He is feeling better and he played a fantastic match. We are very happy. If he is happy, we are happy. It depends on the circumstances for now and the next weeks.”

Aston Villa’s John McGinn, speaking to TNT Sports: “Obvious disappointment but I am proud of my team-mates, proud of the club. We have come a long way. We were so, so close tonight. We just fell a little bit short. We had chances to take the game to extra-time but we’ve got to be proud about the way we come back against one of the best teams in the world, to fight to the end.

“We want more. We want to be back here next season and we will try our best to do that.”

On Unai Emery’s half-time talk: “He said ‘I’m proud of the performance, keep going, you just never know’. We never gave up. It was chaos, but we gave absolutely everything and I think every Aston Villa supporter will leave with a huge sense of pride.”

On Paris St-Germain: “I’ve never played against Real Madrid or Barcelona, but in my career they’re the best team I have faced. I’m getting old and I certainly wouldn’t like to play against them every week.”

Aston 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.”

PSG boss Luis Enrique, speaking to Amazon Prime: “I think so, simple as that. We cannot forget, this is the Champions League and the other team has a lot of quality. Aston Villa played with a lot of intensity. The whole two matches, we deserved to win.

“The second year in a row in the semi-finals and we want to go into the next phase.

“I think have the best squad in the world, not only the best goalkeeper. You have a lot of quality players at a club like PSG. That’s football and that’s competition.

Nervous when 2-0 down?: “At that point, they didn’t have anything to lose because they lost the first match and at half-time in the first half. The atmosphere in the stadium was very nice.”

PSG captain Marquinhos, speaking to Amazon Prime: “We knew it was going to be a difficult game. We had belief, we kept our intensity and we believed until the end we were going to go through.

“It is such a difficult competition but we are getting better and better and we are proving we are good team. There is belief that we can go all the way and win it this year.

Twitter users reacted Aston Villa go through all the emotions after being edged out by PSG in a thrilling fightback…

@DecPierce: So proud. Never in a million years did I think I’d see a night like that in Villa Park in my lifetime or a Champions League campaign like we had this season. VTID 👊🏽💙 Ps Congrats to PSG.. serious group of football players.

@VillaViews_: If you can’t win the competition this is the way to go out. Magnificent effort, fought to the end and their keeper kept them in it. I love this Aston Villa team. Immense pride. #avfc

@Trentvilla1: On this day 9 years ago the worst #avfc team I’ve ever seen was relegated. This morning we are disappointed at not reaching a CL semi final after beating PSG. How our club has risen and we aren’t done yet. Our owners and 👑 Emery are just getting started. On we march.

@foxymeg_: So fucking proud of our team. What an absolute fight. ❤️ #AVFC

@VillaViews_: Can’t be underestimated how big the shift in profile has been for our club. Any player we go for in the summer is going to know who we are and how much ambition we have. That’s huge going forward, especially if we did miss out on top 5. #avfc

@TheVillaTV1: I am proud of the effort and fight we showed in that last 45. First half I thought we looked dull and it could’ve easily been over but by that 2nd half we deserved it. Ref was poor I have to be honest. Really proud of this campaign we gave them a good 2nd half. Hopefully we qualify again and we do this next season. UTV 💙💜

@RichieTeaa: Villa became the first debutant UCL team to win 8 games in their maiden campaign (tying Lazio & Valencia in 1999-00). Levels. UTV #avfc #ChampionsLeague #AVPSG

@TheVillaYamYam: Can’t be anything but proud of the boys great effort! #avfc #utv #astonvilla

@Alex_Berwick: Everyone played their part. But John McGinn. That was a captains performance. What a bloke. #avfc

@Reece_AV: Proud isn’t a strong enough word. Took it to the wire against probably the best team in the tournament in a CL QF. Holte End, take a bow. Our football club. Go get back in it next season, UTFV 👊 #AVFC

@Alex_Berwick: Look. That was an insane performance. The levels we reached in the 2nd half against that opposition are just something else. They’ll be absolutely ecstatic that’s over. Really really belong at this level. Have to get here again now. Have to. #avfc

@AVFC_H: It still absolutely baffles me how some Villa fans don’t rate Mcginn. He’s the heart and soul of this team. What a guy and what a player. My skipper.

HAVE YOUR SAY

What did you make of the game? Is it up there with one of the most thrilling you’ve ever watched? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or tweet us @fan_banter

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