Champions League semis regulars PSG learned to suffer and succeed

Paris St-Germain (PSG) are used to playing in Champions League semi-finals. This will be their fourth in sixth seasons. What looks different this time is their survival instinct honed like never before. Who knows, the 5-4 aggregate win against Aston Villa after Tuesday's 2-3 defeat may even be a rite of passage in their quest for a first title.

- Dhiman Sarkar

KOLKATA: Paris St-Germain (PSG) are used to playing in Champions League semi-finals. This will be their fourth in sixth seasons. What looks different this time is their survival instinct honed like never before. Who knows, the 5-4 aggregate win against Aston Villa after Tuesday's 2-3 defeat may even be a rite of passage in their quest for a first title.

PSG's collapses are part of Champions League folklore. Barcelona needed three goals with 88 minutes on the clock and did it against them in 2016-17. Needing three goals, Real Madrid were 30 minutes from elimination in 2021-22 but it was PSG who went out. Before that there was Manchester United escaping to victory. Marquinhos knows all about it having been part of all three ties. "I am going to savour this one," said the PSG skipper after the quarter-final.

So, what has changed? For one, devoid of attacking divas, Luis Enrique's team presses more and presses better. For another, instead of collapsing under pressure, this team can hang on even after ceding control.