Emery and McGinn channel quarter-final pride into Premier League push as European dream lives on
The claret and blue ribbons may have been cut agonizingly short of a Champions League miracle, but Aston Villa’s defiant message after their 5-4 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain rings clear: This was just the beginning.
Manager Unai Emery spoke of swelling pride mixed with lingering frustration after his side’s breathtaking 3-2 second-leg victory over the French giants – a result that came within inches of completing one of Europe’s most remarkable comebacks. “We were close,” the Spaniard admitted, his voice carrying the weight of what might have been after Ezri Konsa’s missed header and Gianluigi Donnarumma’s late heroics denied Villa an historic extra-time chance.
Now, with the dust settling on their first Champions League campaign in 41 years, Villa’s focus has laser-sharpened on securing an immediate return. Sitting just one point outside the Premier League’s top five with six games remaining, Emery emphasized: “The challenge now is clear – we must fight to reclaim our place among Europe’s elite.”
Captain John McGinn, whose deflected strike ignited Villa Park’s electric second-half revival, embodied the squad’s bittersweet emotions. “I’m bursting with pride yet hollow with disappointment,” the Scot confessed after a night where PSG’s superstars were rattled to their core. “When that fourth goal didn’t come… you could taste it in the air. But look how far we’ve come – trading blows with a team worth billions.”
The midfielder’s humorous admission – “I’m getting too old for this every week!” – after facing Kylian Mbappé and company couldn’t mask Villa’s burning ambition. McGinn’s promise to supporters was unequivocal: “This club, these fans, we belong on nights like these. We’ll pour everything into bringing Champions League football back to Villa Park.”
As PSG prepare for their semi-final, Villa’s attention turns to Sunday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth – the first of six cup finals in their league campaign. The Holte End may still be buzzing from that three-minute, two-goal explosion against PSG, but Emery’s men know European redemption must now be earned domestically.
For a club that dared to dream the impossible against one of football’s financial titans, this isn’t farewell to the Champions League – it’s merely “À bientôt.”
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