Khvicha Kvaratskhelia lit up the Champions League with a sensational goal as Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to secure a 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the first leg of their quarter-final clash on Wednesday.
Morgan Rogers gave the visitors a surprise lead in the 35th minute at the Parc des Princes, momentarily silencing the home crowd. However, PSG responded swiftly, with teenage sensation Désiré Doué levelling the scores with a fine finish before half-time.
Moments after the interval, Kvaratskhelia stole the spotlight with a breathtaking strike to put the French champions ahead. In stoppage time, Nuno Mendes added a third, giving PSG a commanding two-goal advantage heading into next Tuesday’s return leg at Villa Park.
Luis Enrique’s side, who knocked out Liverpool in the previous round, now have a strong grip on a potential semi-final berth — a step closer to their elusive first Champions League title.
“We’re pleased with the win, but it’s only halfway. The second leg will be tough,” said Kvaratskhelia post-match. Asked about his stunning goal, the Georgian joked, “I can’t remember it exactly — I’ll check the replay to see if it was good.”
Villa, supported by Prince William and his son George in the stands, will now need a stirring performance in Birmingham to keep their European dream alive — one not achieved since their 1982 title-winning campaign.
“We took the lead, which is usually the hardest part, but you’ve got to acknowledge their quality,” Villa’s Lucas Digne told Canal Plus. “They had moments of brilliance. We’ll have to be more adventurous at home — it’s not over yet.”
Unai Emery will hope history repeats itself in his favour. The last time he faced Luis Enrique in the Champions League, his PSG side beat Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg in 2017 — only to lose 6-1 in the return. Now managing Villa, he’ll aim for a reversal of fortunes.
PSG were without suspended captain Marquinhos, while Bradley Barcola started on the bench for the first time in this European campaign. That allowed Doué and Kvaratskhelia to join Ousmane Dembélé in the front line.
Villa entered the match in superb form, riding a seven-game winning streak. Emiliano Martínez, Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, was greeted with boos from the home fans but produced a string of saves early on, notably tipping over a powerful Dembélé effort.
Despite PSG dominating possession, Villa struck first against the run of play. John McGinn dispossessed Mendes near halfway and initiated a swift move. The ball eventually found Youri Tielemans, whose pass across goal set up Rogers for a simple tap-in.
PSG quickly levelled. Martínez fumbled a shot from Doué, and from the resulting corner, the French side worked the ball across the pitch before Doué curled a superb strike into the far corner — another standout moment from the 19-year-old, fresh from his senior France debut.
Four minutes into the second half, Kvaratskhelia produced a moment of pure magic. Released by Fabián Ruiz, he glided into the box, danced past Axel Disasi with some dazzling footwork, and fired a ferocious shot in off the near post, leaving Martínez helpless.
Villa made several changes, including the introduction of Marco Asensio against his parent club, in an attempt to find a way back into the game. Meanwhile, Achraf Hakimi had a goal ruled out for PSG before the hosts struck again.
As Villa pushed forward, they left gaps at the back. In added time, Dembélé slid a pass through to Mendes, who rounded Martínez and coolly slotted home to make it 3-1 — a potentially decisive third goal in the tie.
