Paris Saint-Germain were made to sweat to secure a 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, coming from behind after a shock opener from the visitors on Wednesday.
Morgan Rogers stunned the home crowd by putting Unai Emery’s side ahead in the first half but PSG swiftly turned the tide as teenager Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia struck back before Nuno Mendes got the third in added time to give the newly crowned Ligue 1 champions a well-deserved victory.
PSG’s dominance on the ball was evident as they dictated the tempo with a blend of composed possession, technical precision, and their trademark high pressing under Luis Enrique, the coach who groomed Doue into near-stardom.
Villa, whose seven-game winning streak in all competitions came to an end, will need to show more in the return leg next Tuesday.
“By order of the Paris SG fans,” a banner draped over the Auteuil Kop read — a cheeky nod to the Peaky Blinders television series, which takes place in Birmingham.
Emiliano Martinez, ever the villain in France who was greeted by a barrage of boos, whistles and expletives, opens new tab, made his presence felt, blocking Vitinha’s low shot and denying Ousmane Dembele, whose venomous half-volley seemed destined to rattle the net.
