PARIS — Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s stunning goal overshadowed a great curling effort by his colleague Désiré Doué as Paris Saint-Germain secured a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal clash on Wednesday.
Villa initially took a lead in the 35th minute through Morgan Rogers, but PSG’s 19-year-old star Doué equalized just four minutes later, marking his impressive twelfth goal of the season.
Pushing PSG into the lead, Kvaratskhelia delivered a sensational goal four minutes after halftime. Later, left-back Nuno Mendes sealed the win during stoppage time with a superbly executed finish.
“I believe the scoreline accurately demonstrates the gap between our teams,” remarked PSG’s coach Luis Enrique, acknowledging his squad’s offensive prowess and attacking threat. “Our aim is to maintain possession and exhibit aggression in our forward play.”
The highlight of the match was undoubtedly Kvaratskhelia’s goal.
Sprinting down the left flank from just beyond the midfield line, he navigated through Villa’s defense with remarkable agility and balance.
With the ball seemingly attached to his foot, he outmaneuvered defender Axel Disasi with a swift direction change, then seamlessly transitioned the ball to his left foot to unleash an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Luis Enrique praised Kvaratskhelia, saying, “As a coach, having a player with such a mentality is invaluable. He delivered a phenomenal goal. We aimed to acquire him last summer but didn’t succeed. Fortunately, we secured him in January, which was unexpected. He possesses everything to contribute significantly to our project.”
The next leg is scheduled for Tuesday.
In another match on Wednesday, Barcelona, with five Champions League titles to their name, demolished Borussia Dortmund 4-0, with seasoned striker Robert Lewandowski netting twice along with goals from Raphinha and young sensation Lamine Yamal.
Kvaratskhelia finds himself amid such elite soccer talent.
His spectacular goal justified his nickname, “Kvaradona,” coined during his tenure at Napoli, in honor of the legendary Diego Maradona. His performance motivated PSG to invest 70 million euros in acquiring him during the winter transfer window.
Following Kvaratskhelia’s goal, Martinez executed an impressive save to his right from Achraf Hakimi’s powerful shot as PSG relentlessly pressed for a third goal.
For Aston Villa, reaching this competition stage was a first since 1983. They initially withstood PSG’s early pressure before gaining the lead with an expertly crafted play.
Captain John McGinn managed to regain possession in midfield, advancing the ball to Marcus Rashford, who had previously secured a last-minute victory in the same venue for Manchester United. Rashford then passed to Youri Tielemans, who launched a cross for Rogers to finish easily at the far post.
The brief lead was countered by Doué, who, from the penalty area’s left side, maneuvered past two defenders to curl the ball into the top corner.
Enrique commented, “He’s equipped with everything to reach greatness. He doesn’t require much room to perform his dribbling skills.”
Martinez initially tested PSG’s defense with long strikes but was soon called to action with a flying save from Dembélé’s angled effort early in the match.
Mendes’s goal, however, showcased finesse when he received Dembélé’s pass, outplayed a defender, and skillfully directed the ball into the net.
“We’ve studied their recent performances and understand their deadly sharpness,” noted Rogers. “They’ve certainly captured worldwide attention now.”
Despite the setback, Villa’s coach Unai Emery remains optimistic about overcoming PSG.
“I firmly believe we will triumph next week,” he said confidently. “Villa Park is where we reign.”