Nuno Mendes struck deep into stoppage time to give Paris St-Germain a significant advantage against Aston Villa in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Parc des Princes.
Villa looked like they would only need to overturn a one-goal deficit at Villa Park until Mendes stole in to deliver a devastating blow to Unai Emery’s side in the dying seconds.
The visitors had stunned the newly crowned French champions when Morgan Rogers arrived at the far post to turn in Youri Tielemans’ cross from the left after 35 minutes.
That breakaway goal to take the lead delighted an away support that included the Prince of Wales.
The lead only lasted four minutes before PSG drew level, however, with Desire Doue leaving Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez helpless with a magnificent curling drive from 20 yards.
PSG’s brilliant Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia troubled Villa all night, and he put them ahead four minutes after the break when he turned substitute Axel Disasi before drilling a powerful shot high past Martinez at his near post.
Villa keeper Martinez, who had few friends in France following his antics at the 2022 World Cup final when Argentina beat Les Bleus in Qatar, made several fine saves on this occasion but was powerless as he was wrong-footed by Mendes in the closing moments.
It made it a bitterly disappointing finale for former PSG boss Emery and his Villa side, who were left despondent as the locals celebrated rapturously.
