Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) advanced to the UEFA Champions League semifinals despite a 3-2 loss to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Tuesday night. The victory came with a 5-4 win on aggregate, setting PSG up for a face-off against the winner of the Arsenal–Real Madrid tie.
However, amidst this advancement, manager Unai Emery has been criticised for his decision to substitute Marcus Rashford.
The visitors started strong and quickly commanded a 5-1 aggregate lead. Achraf Hakimi scored in the 11th minute, followed by Nuno Mendes doubling their advantage in the 27th minute. It seemed like PSG were cruising with a four-goal cushion—until Aston Villa made their comeback.
Youri Tielemans pulled one back before halftime in the 34th minute, giving home fans some hope.
After halftime, John McGinn struck in the 55th minute and Ezri Konsa added another just two minutes later, suddenly making it an intense game at 5-4 on aggregate.
Despite Aston Villa's relentless push for an equaliser, PSG held firm to avoid late collapse and secured their place in the final four.
Controversial Substitution Decision by Unai Emery
However, amidst this thrilling match-up was one substitution decision that has drawn criticism from pundits and fans alike - manager Unai Emery's choice to take out Marcus Rashford.
In his post-match remarks, former Aston Villa defender and BBC pundit Stephen Warnock slammed Emery for taking out Rashford, who had been instrumental with an assist and four key passes during his time on the pitch.
Warnock expressed his confusion over what he perceived as a poor tactical move by saying:
“I don’t know what Unai Emery saw, with the way Marcus Rashford was playing, he got it wrong. Rashford was brilliant. He was involved in everything, and everything good was coming from him."
He further added that the tempo of the game dropped after Rashford's substitution, questioning Emery's decision by stating:
"You need a goal – why are you taking a striker off? If you want to pin PSG back, you play Rashford and Watkins in between the full-back and centre-halves and you stretch those balls over the top.”
While PSG may have advanced to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, manager Unai Emery's decision to substitute Marcus Rashford has raised questions about his tactical acumen.
As football fans across the world continue to dissect this match-up, it is clear that every move on the pitch can have significant implications for both teams' fortunes.
