Nuno Mendes’ Late Strike Leaves Aston Villa Stunned in Paris Thriller
What a night it was at the Parc des Princes—a true Champions League spectacle filled with drama, emotion, and top-tier football. PSG came out on top with a 3-1 win over Aston Villa, but it was far from a routine victory. If you’re a Villa fan, this one stings—especially with that final blow delivered deep into stoppage time by Nuno Mendes.
Now let’s set the scene. PSG, already crowned Ligue 1 champions again, hosted a red-hot Aston Villa team in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. The visitors had nothing to lose and everything to prove, especially in a historic European tie like this. Their support was loud, passionate, and even royal—Prince William and his son George made the trip to Paris to cheer them on.
Aston Villa struck first against the run of play. With only 23% possession up until that moment, it was a bolt from the blue. John McGinn sparked the move with a crunching tackle, the ball found its way to Marcus Rashford, and eventually Morgan Rogers tapped in from close range. Cue wild scenes in the away end. But the lead lasted just four minutes.
Also Read:- Rami Malek Steps Into Spy Game With Quiet Power inThe Amateur
- Tyreek Hill’s Domestic Dispute Raises Serious Concerns Off the Field
Then came PSG’s response. Désiré Doué, just 19 years old, delivered an absolute rocket into the net off the bar. You could feel the momentum swing right back. Villa were suddenly holding on for dear life as PSG piled forward. Emiliano Martínez had a standout performance in goal for Villa, despite the constant jeers from the PSG faithful who clearly hadn't forgotten his World Cup antics.
But Martínez couldn’t stop everything. Early in the second half, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia—who was tormenting defenders all night—turned Axel Disasi inside out and rifled home a thunderous strike to put PSG ahead. That goal had Parc des Princes bouncing.
Villa held on valiantly, knowing that a one-goal deficit heading into the second leg at Villa Park would be manageable. But just as they thought they’d done enough, Nuno Mendes danced his way into the box in the 92nd minute, sat down both Ezri Konsa and Martínez, and buried a classy finish to make it 3-1. It was a dagger through Villa hearts.
Luis Enrique’s PSG now look like genuine contenders. They’re not just star-studded anymore—they’re cohesive, hungry, and full of emerging talent. Kvaratskhelia, Doué, Dembélé—they’re electric. And with this advantage, it’s hard to see them not scoring at Villa Park.
Still, you can’t count Villa out. They’ve fought hard to reach this stage, and Unai Emery knows how to navigate European ties. But they’ll need something special to overturn this deficit. For now, though, PSG have one foot in the semi-finals—and it’s Mendes’ late heroics that might prove to be the defining moment of this tie.
Read More:
0 Comments