Anyone who would replace Emiliano Martínez for Gianluigi Donnarumma at Aston Villa is living too much in the moment. In reality, the margins are extremely close at the highest levels. After all, the Italian keeper also had a poor moment in which Bukayo Saka realistically should have scored a second during the second leg of the Champions League semi-final.
That being said, the PSG No. 1 has been incredible, particularly in Europe. On a young squad that is only now being properly introduced to the rest of the sport's community, PSG have showcased their abilities. Their path to the final in Munich came against the Premier League sides of Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal.
Knowing what's known now, that makes Villa's display at Villa Park all the more remarkable. Winning the second leg during the quarterfinal fixture, it was AVFC who had the Ligue 1 side on the ropes, nearly forcing extra time.
That evening, though ending in disappointment, gave Villa fans a spectacular evening that will be remembered for a long time. The fact that between both legs, Unai Emery's men managed to squeak four goals past Donnarumma should only illustrate how close this team is to achieving true greatness.
It may be something of a meaningless consolation right now. After all, the current trophy drought continues. Rather than viewing the lack of silverware this season as a complete failure, it's important to analyze the specifics of the year as a whole while taking note of some of the specifics that occurred.
Revisiting the Aston Villa performance at home against PSG
During the second half at VP, it was the home side that looked like the better and more deserving team. While Arsenal showed signs throughout the semifinal fixtures of being able to potentially force a result, the Gunners never had the same momentum that Villa displayed against the same highly in-form PSG side. This proved to be the case despite the aforementioned Saka managing to get one on the scoresheet at Parc des Princes.
Looking back, the CL departure serves as a massive 'what if' moment for Villa. Along the path toward the ultimate goals of the club, it is important to notice and appreciate the progress that has been made along the way, particularly after watching how the Ligue 1 champions' big farewell to their third English opponent in a row.