Paris Saint-Germain took a big step towards the Champions League semifinals with a convincing 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of the quarterfinals. On a night full of great performances, Désiré Doué stole the spotlight by scoring the equalizer with a spectacular shot, becoming the second-youngest French player to score at this stage of the tournament.

Doué at the level of Mbappé and Dembélé

The 19-year-old winger has proven he is ready to compete with the best. With his goal against Aston Villa, Doué became the second-youngest French player to score in the Champions League quarterfinals, behind only Kylian Mbappé, who scored for AS Monaco at 18 years and 113 days. Additionally, he surpassed his PSG teammate Ousmane Dembélé, who scored his first goal at this stage at 19 years and 332 days.

Doué’s talent has shone particularly bright in 2024, making him one of the standout players under Luis Enrique. His ability to take on defenders, his speed, and his confidence in front of goal have made him a key piece in the Parisian squad. Against Aston Villa, his goal came at a crucial moment when the team needed to respond after Morgan Rogers' opener.

"My intention was to cross, but I saw there weren’t many options, so I decided to shoot. And it went in," Doué said after the match, clearly pleased with his strike. He even joked about his stunning goal: "The best goal? Mine."

A dominant PSG with the semifinals in sight

Doué’s goal not only leveled the game but also gave PSG the momentum it needed to take control. Later, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes extended the lead to secure a result that puts the French side in a strong position for the return leg.

With this win, PSG heads into the second leg in England full of confidence. "We know there's still another half to play, but we'll approach it with the same focus and go for the win," Doué said, making it clear the team isn’t taking anything for granted.

The second leg at Aston Villa’s stadium promises to be intense, but with players like Doué, Dembélé, and Mbappé, the Parisian side has plenty of reasons to dream of reaching the Champions League semifinals.