Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa suffered a 3-1 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

Morgan Rogers converted a well-worked move to put the visitors ahead from close range in the 35^th minute at the Parc des Princes – his 14^th goal of the season and fourth in Europe.

But the lively Desire Doue levelled for PSG with a 20-yard strike off the underside of the crossbar just four minutes later.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put Les Rouge-et-Bleu ahead early in the second half when he found the net with another unstoppable effort off the near post.

And it looked set to remain that way until the 92^nd minute when Nuno Mendes cut inside in the penalty area and fired beyond Emi Martínez.

It was a well-organised and hard-working performance from a resolute Villa, who stood up to PSG dominance and proved a threat of their own when presented with opportunities on the counter-attack.

It leaves the last eight tie still in the balance heading into next Wednesday’s second leg at Villa Park, with a place in the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition awaiting the winners.

Unai Emery made eight changes to his starting line-up for the encounter against the newly-crowned French champions, whom he managed for two years between 2016-2018.

The Villa manager, having rotated his ranks for Saturday’s Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest, returned to the same XI who started the club’s 3-0 triumph at Brighton & Hove Albion last Wednesday.

The sell-out crowd inside the stadium were treated to a pre-match light and flame show ahead of kick-off, before a Peaky Blinders-inspired tifo was unveiled and blue and red PSG flags waved throughout the stands – with a raucous atmosphere greeting the two teams as they emerged for the iconic Champions League anthem.

The hosts started the encounter on the front foot, Martínez producing a reflex save to parry from Ousmane Dembele early on.

Achraf Hakimi tested Martínez from distance in the 18^th minute before Vitinha fired over from the edge of the area, as the hosts enjoyed 78 per cent of the possession inside the opening quarter.

But it was Villa who opened the scoring with their first attempt on target shortly after the half-hour mark.

Captain John McGinn robbed Mendes of possession near the halfway line, surged forward and spread the ball across field for Marcus Rashford, who laid off for the overlapping Youri Tielemans and he squared across the six-yard box for Rogers to slot home from close range.

The hosts hit back immediately, however, and Martinez parried Doue’s effort against a post just moments later before somehow clawing away off the line.

But the PSG forward was not to be denied in the 39^th minute as he received the ball out wide, cut inside and curled an effort into the net off the underside of the crossbar.

Further inspired by his leveller, Doue forced Martínez to parry away his stinging drive as the first half finished all square.

Boss Emery turned to Axel Disasi at the break, replacing Matty Cash having been booked in the first half.

And he soon found Kvaratskhelia running at him in the area, before twisting, turning and firing a powerful effort off the inside of the near post and beyond Martínez to put the Parisians ahead.

Martínez parried from Hakimi before Marco Asensio, on loan from PSG, was introduced prior to the hour.

Villa continued to soak up pressure and stand strong, Rogers testing ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma at the other end.

Emery made a triple substitution with 11 minutes remaining, bringing on Ian Maatsen, Amadou Onana and Ollie Watkins.

And the encounter looked set to be settled by a single strike until Mendes had the final say deep into injury time.

It ensured PSG ended Villa’s seven-match winning sequence and triumphed in the first-ever meeting between the two sides in European competition, who will do it all again in the second leg in six days’ time.