4 days Ago
Many PSG players were caught looking puzzled, while Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa was seen putting his hand to his face and shaking his head, in the hilarious moment. Call it being inexperienced in the Champions League. Or as Jamie Carragher put it (in the case of Marcus Rashford), “being used to it".
Well, Aston Villa proved that old habits die hard. Confusion and embarrassment ensued before kickoff in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, when the anthem for the second-tier UEFA Europa League was played by mistake as players from both teams lined up. In a moment of hilariousity, many PSG players were caught looking puzzled, while Villa defender Ezri Konsa was seen putting his hand to his face and shaking his head after talking to teammate Youri Tielemans while the incorrect music was blaring around the stadium.
A minute or so later, the more famous Champions League anthem was finally played at Villa Park — by which time the players were almost ready for the kickoff. In the crowd was Prince William, the heir to the throne and a die-hard Villa fan. This is Aston Villa’s first season in the UEFA Champions League, with the team having previously played in Europe’s top competition in 1982-83, as the reigning champion when it was called the European Cup.
Their inexperience showed in the first half of their dire quarterfinal against PSG, as mistakes led to Villa falling 2-0 behind PSG by the 27th minute, thanks to goals by full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes who piled the misery on the Villa Park faithful. A spirited Aston Villa though wouldn’t quit, as they ended up making a comeback to win 3-2, but PSG still advanced 5-4 on aggregate to reach the semifinals. Youri Tielemans pulled a goal back for the English side before half-time and two goals in two minutes from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa transformed the tie early in the second period.
In their time of need, it was PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who kept the ravenous Unai Emery’s Villa at bay and prevented another famous ‘Remontada’ in the Champions League knockout stages. While Villa may have fallen short of a historic comeback, one other team would be hoping to pull off a ‘Remontada’ tonight, as Real Madrid, who are facing a 0-3 deficit, take on Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabeu in their second leg of the UCL quarterfinals. (with agency inputs).
