If you had suggested to Aston Villa supporters a close, painful quarter-final loss to PSG in the Champions League in the spring of 2025 when Steven Gerrard was dismissed for his failures in October 2022 while the team was embroiled in a relegation struggle, they would have a) laughed, b) laughed again, and then c) yanked your arm out of its socket in an effort to secure the deal before the outrageous proposal was retracted.
Aston Villa left Europe, there should be little sorrow among fans who – precisely three years earlier – faced the prospect of four consecutive Premier League losses, including a 4-0 home loss to Spurs for which Gerrard deserved to be quickly dismissed, not merely for acquiring Philippe Coutinho and choosing Danny Ings.
The transition from that point to this one has been magnificent, so supporters should hold no lasting regret, understanding that we are in a golden era with a remarkable manager. They have reached the FA Cup semi-finals, competing for a Champions League spot (currently heading to the Conference League) and witnessing some of the finest football seen in many years.
They arrived at Villa Park with their drums and voices for what was expected to be a futile endeavor. Not due to their shortcomings at right-back and not because Emi Martinez’s pride currently overshadows his abilities, but because PSG is the top team globally at this moment. They are truly extraordinary. Their sole flaw is that their numerous Champions League 'almost' experiences cause them to become quite severely agitated.
An abundance of analysts on Amazon Prime analyzed PSG’s first-half goals and pointed out each error committed by Villa, with Clarence Seedorf calling it “unacceptable.” As Wayne Rooney elaborated extensively on the necessity for a "coordinated press." However, everyone, this was Aston Villa versus PSG. This team was seventh in the Premier League standings facing off against the team that had suffered only one defeat since late November, which was that ridiculous loss to Liverpool.
PSG boasts Europe's finest three-man midfield, features the top finisher from across the continent for 2025, and netted two goals in the first half-hour at Villa Park courtesy of their full-backs, each of whom can argue for being among the absolute best globally. This was – at least in theory – not a contest between equals.
However, as the gathered experts (is four really necessary?) lamented the absence of Champions League experience in the Villa team and proclaimed the matchup essentially settled at half-time due to their astonishing naivety, it was PSG’s longstanding record of disappointment in the tournament that nearly led to their downfall as Youri Tielemans’ goal – seemingly a routine consolation – was succeeded by efforts from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa while the dynamic Marcus Rashford showcased himself as potentially the summer’s best £40m steal.
With approximately 40 minutes left and all the momentum in claret and blue, we began to wonder how La Remontada would be pronounced in a Brummie accent. Villa Park was loud, it was charged, it was hopeful. However, Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a series of saves, PSG ultimately recalled they were the top team in Europe, and all of Villa’s determination, passion, and underdog spirit were in vain.
And when we mention 'nought,' we actually signify 'almost everything.' Achieving the Champions League was remarkable, advancing through the group stage was incredible, but defeating this PSG team at Villa Park and forcing them to cling to the game with a defensive stance in the final moments was nearly miraculous. PSG demonstrated they can still be unsettled, but Villa needed to be exceptional to make them tremble.
In under three years, Aston Villa have changed from relegation threats to the near-defeaters of the probable champions. There were truly no losers at Villa Park.
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