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Key occasions
HALF TIME: Aston Villa 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain (agg 2-5)
PSG’s flying full-backs look to have carried out for Aston Villa’s hopes of reaching the semis. Youri Tielemans has restored at the very least a smidgen of hope.
45 min: Dembele goes racing clear down the left. One move. That is too easy. He enters the field however flays a wild shot over the bar. Then the flag goes up for offside. Had he scored, I believe VAR would have gotten concerned, Konsa enjoying him on.
44 min: Hakimi lotions a protracted free kick down the center. Dembele is free! Fortuitously for Villa, Konsa battles again and will get within the street, Dembele slips, and the flag lastly goes up for offside.
42 min: McGinn thinks he’s going right into a 50-50 with Kvaratskhelia. In actuality it’s extra like a 20-80. The Villa captain is method late, clatters his man, and goes into the e-book. A excessive risk he’s not but calmed down from the tangle with Hakimi.
41 min: Tielemans pops a move down the inside-right channel for Torres, who from the nook of the six-yard field opts to cross reasonably than shoot. Mistaken resolution.
40 min: Vitinha, Dembele and Nuno Mendes almost open Villa up once more down the left. Then Fabián Ruiz one-twos with Kvaratskhelia within the center however the ensuing shot is weak and straight at Martinez. PSG seemingly not that involved by the Villa aim.
38 min: Seems Tielemans has been credited with the Villa aim. Everybody concerned will likely be pleased with that call.
36 min: McGinn and Hakimi battle for a ball bouncing down the inside-left channel. The previous leans into the latter, and the pair fall into the penalty field. McGinn desires a penalty however he’s not getting one. He holds Hakimi down, and almost will get a boot within the face for his hassle. Had that related, the referee would have had a call to make. However we play on.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-2 PSG (Pacho og 34); agg 2-5
Villa swarm PSG and assault once more. McGinn lifts a move down the inside-left channel. Tielemans opens his physique and goals a roller in the direction of the top-right nook. It deflects off Pacho and into the top-left previous a flat-footed Donnarumma. A glimmer of hope!
33 min: Kamara breaks up a PSG pass-fest with an prolonged leg and sends Rashford and Tielemans away on a counter. The previous units up the latter, who enters the PSG field down the inside-left channel earlier than going over. He desires a penalty, claiming to have been shoved within the again by Pacho, however he’s not getting one. However it doesn’t matter, as a result of …
31 min: Vitinha one-twos with Dembele to interrupt into area down the center of the park. He switches play to Barcola on the left. Barcola almost hipshakes his method into the realm, however there’s one defender too many to beat. PSG are utterly, completely, totally on prime.
29 min: Villa are being ruthlessly dispatched right here. There’s no disgrace in it. This PSG staff are magnificent, and the way in which they’re enjoying, will take some stopping on this competitors. They appear like champions in ready.
GOAL! Aston Villa 0-2 PSG (Nuno Mendes 27); agg 1-5
One other PSG counter. Dembele is distributed scampering down the proper. He passes infield for Nuno Mendes, who takes a contact, opens his physique, and curls a vicious low shot off the bottom of the left-hand publish and in. What a end. That is over.
26 min: Dembele probes down the proper however can’t get previous each Digne and Torres. Kvaratskhelia in the meantime has been quiet. Maybe too quiet?
24 min: Rogers has regarded the liveliest of the Villa attackers, and he advances once more down the proper earlier than gliding infield and curling a low shot inches broad of the left-hand publish. Donnarumma in all probability had it lined, however it will have been a close-run factor. Pretty effort.
23 min: Nuno Mendes almost bursts clear into the Villa field down the left. Kamara stands out a leg to place a cease to his gallop. It was a superbly timed problem. It needed to be, or the ref can be pointing to the spot. Nice defending.
21 min: PSG reply by stroking the ball round on the again, taking all the sting out of the sport.
19 min: The ball drops to Rashford down the inside-left channel. His shot is blocked however on the expense of a nook, which Rashford takes himself. It’s simply cleared. However the ball is looped again into the mixer, then headed backwards unusually by Vitinha, dropping to Torres who has a whack from a good angle on the left. Donnarumma stands tall and parries. Higher from Villa.
17 min: Digne and McGinn attempt to get one thing taking place the left, however Hakimi received’t budge. Not a lot in the way in which of a Villa response but.
15 min: That’s muted the Villa followers, who’ve had their hopes severely dented in double-quick time. The two,000-strong PSG contingent are making themselves heard, although, with loads of assist from a really energetic drummer. The midlands are the heartland of heavy metallic, in any case.
13 min: Villa have been on the assault simply earlier than the aim, solely to be sprung on the counter. Morgan had received good possession in the midst of the park, and his team-mates superior. He fed Rashford, who took a unfastened contact. Marquinhos pounced, and PSG sprung on the counter, Nuno Mendes pinging a protracted move down the left to ship Barcola on his method. Villa with a mountain to climb now.
GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 PSG (Hakimi 11); agg 1-4
Barcola advances down the left. He crosses low, hoping to seek out Dembele within the center. Martinez will get down to dam however can’t maintain maintain of the ball. He tees up Hakimi, who from the penalty spot sweeps the unfastened ball into the top-left nook.
9 min: Rogers, Tielemans and Rashford mix elegantly down the proper touchline, the latter almost making area for a shot. Marquinhos is on level to place an finish to Villa’s scheme. Talking of scheming, right here’s David Howell on that Uefa anthem switcheroo: “Accident? Or fortunate attraction contemplating Unai Emery’s document in matches preceded by that explicit anthem?”
7 min: Konsa and Torres dally below a protracted ball down the PSG left. Dembele nips in and advances in the direction of the field, sending a low cross in in the direction of Barcola. It’s blocked and cleared, however for a nanosecond there, it regarded like Villa have been going to be architects of their very own downfall.
5 min: Villa are first to all the things in the intervening time. PSG but to retain possession for any significant stretch of time. The house followers approve. The away finish are giving it lots as effectively, thoughts you.
3 min: From the second nook, Rashford dribbles in dangerously from the proper however the PSG field is stuffed with defenders and one in all them whacks clear. A full of life begin by the hosts.
2 min: Rashford whips it viciously in the direction of the close to publish. Tielemans flicks it on, the ball flashing by the six-yard field. João Neves eyebrows it out for a nook on the opposite aspect.
1 min: McGinn loops a move down the left for Rashford to chase. Hakimi shepherds the ball again to Donnarumma, who blooters clear. From the ensuing throw, McGinn wins the primary nook of the night.
Villa kick off. They’re kicking in the direction of the Holte Finish on this first half. It’s tipping down in Birmingham.
The groups are out! Villa of their storied claret, PSG in blue. The PA blasts out the Champions League anthem the Europa League music?! Oopsie. One hell of an environment nonetheless. Ah, right here’s the Champions League tune on the second time of asking. Higher late than by no means. All of the hits. We’ll be off in a minute.
There are 4 Aston Villa gamers who would miss the primary leg of the semi-final ought to they decide up a yellow card. Marcus Rashford, Lucas Digne, Boubacar Kamara and Axel Disasi should be on their finest behaviour.
There is just one PSG participant strolling the disciplinary tightrope. Fabián Ruiz their solely man on a yellow.
Emery and his reverse quantity Luis Enrique have met within the knockout stage of the Champions League earlier than. Right here’s how one of many nice comebacks/capitulations unfolded. PSG as an establishment, and Marquinhos, the one survivor from their staff that fateful night time, will at all times have their demons. Then once more so will Emery, who watched issues collapse in spectacular style from the Paris dugout. Most likely finest for everybody concerned tonight if we quietly change the topic.
Unai Emery talks to Amazon Prime. “Good night … we’re motivated … excited … we now have momentum within the season … attempt to get each drop of vitality transmitted from the supporters to the staff … now’s the second to focus our game-plan …we competed unbelievable in Paris … we will compete unbelievable once more however do one thing extra … we now have to play with the ball and with out the ball … play excessive, play low … set items … dominate with the ball … win duels … that is the best stage we now have confronted this 12 months … I’m wanting ahead to see how the gamers reply.”
Aston Villa make one change to their beginning XI from the primary leg. Amadou Onana is available in for Jacob Ramsey, who drops to the bench.
PSG make two adjustments to their beginning line-up within the wake of their 3-1 win final Wednesday. Marquinhos returns from suspension and replaces Lucas Beraldo in defence, whereas Bradley Barcola is available in for final week’s hero Désiré Doué. Beraldo and Doué are on the bench.
The groups
Aston Villa: Martinez, Money, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Onana, Rogers, Tielemans, McGinn, Rashford.
Subs: Olsen, Proctor, Disasi, Mings, Barkley, Watkins, Asensio, Maatsen, Bogarde, Bailey, Ramsey.
Paris Saint-Germain: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Neves, Vitinha, Fabian, Barcola, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.
Subs: Tenas, Safonov, Kimpembe, Goncalo Ramos, Lee, Hernandez, Mayulu, Zaire Emery, Lucas Beraldo, Mbaye, Doue.
Referee: Jose Maria Sanchez (Spain).
Preamble
Six days in the past this occurred …
… so now the 1982 champions want an enormous efficiency in the event that they’re to arrange a semi-final showdown with both Arsenal or Actual Madrid. It’s not past the realms – Villa have received seven of the 12 European ties during which they’ve been overwhelmed within the first leg away from dwelling – however PSG are 13 from 19 in Europe after profitable the primary leg at dwelling, so each groups can take coronary heart from historical past. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. It’s on!