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Aston Villa Push PSG to the Limit: Emery Proud Despite Champions League Exit

Aston Villa bowed out of the UEFA Champions League with their heads held high, defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 in a thrilling second leg at Villa Park but falling 5-4 on aggregate. Manager Unai Emery expressed deep pride in his players’ efforts, reaffirming their place among Europe’s elite and voicing ambition to return to the competition.

Entering the match with a 3-1 first-leg deficit, Villa were quickly on the back foot as early goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes put PSG ahead 2-0 on the night and 5-1 overall. Yet what followed was a remarkable resurgence. Youri Tielemans’ deflected strike offered hope before halftime. Then, in a span of two electric minutes after the break, captain John McGinn and defender Ezri Konsa fired in goals to bring the aggregate score to 5-4, igniting belief in a potential comeback.

Emery, who has now guided Villa to historic wins over European giants like Bayern Munich, praised the resilience and quality shown by his squad. “We showed we belong here,” he said. “We were close to something special. Now we continue building.” The Spaniard also hinted at bolstering the team to meet future Champions League expectations.

McGinn, who joined Villa in 2018 and has witnessed their meteoric rise from the Championship, described the result as bittersweet. “We’ve come so far. To be toe-to-toe with PSG and nearly pull it off says everything about our growth,” he remarked.

Konsa echoed his teammates’ sentiments, lamenting a missed opportunity late in the game but emphasizing Villa’s competitiveness at the highest level. “We’ll be back,” he declared.

Despite progressing to the semi-finals, PSG manager Luis Enrique admitted Villa’s second-leg performance was unlike anything his team had faced. “They dominated us with aggression and courage,” he noted, acknowledging the Premier League side’s fearless approach.

Aston Villa may be out of the Champions League, but their journey has solidified their status as a serious European contender — and the hunger to return stronger next season is clear.

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