Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique conceded his side faced unprecedented pressure after narrowly escaping a dramatic Aston Villa comeback in their Champions League quarter-final clash.
Despite securing a 5-4 aggregate victory, PSG nearly squandered a commanding four-goal lead during Tuesday’s second leg. Early strikes from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes had seemingly put the tie beyond doubt, but Villa’s relentless fightback left the French giants clinging on.
Reflecting on the tense finale, Enrique admitted, “There was never a moment I thought we’d be eliminated, but for 10 minutes, we were under immense pressure. Villa pushed us like never before.”
Gianluigi Donnarumma played a crucial role in preserving PSG’s lead, making a spectacular save to deny Marcus Rashford before Ezri Konsa’s goal reignited Villa’s hopes. The Italian shot-stopper then produced vital stops against Youri Tielemans and Marco Asensio—the latter facing his former club.
Enrique acknowledged his team may have grown complacent after establishing such a dominant position. “At 2-0, we became too comfortable and overconfident,” he admitted. “Villa seized that opportunity—they had nothing to lose and took risks.”
He also highlighted Villa’s aerial threat as a major challenge, stating, “Their goal gave them momentum. They’re dangerous in the air, and we struggled defensively—physically, we’re not the tallest side. But in the end, we showed resilience, and I take many positives from how we handled the situation.”
Despite the scare, PSG advanced, with Enrique emphasizing the importance of learning from the experience.
