Wayne Rooney blames Aston Villa FANS for nightmare opening minutes against PSG after Unai Emery’s side conceded two early goals
Wayne Rooney blamed Aston Villa’s fans for their side’s poor start to their Champions League second leg clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
Villa had to overturn a two-goal deficit going into the game, having lost 3-1 in Paris last week against arguably what has been Europe’s most in-form side of the last few weeks.
After a bright first few minutes, though, they came undone, falling first to Achraf Hakimi’s goal before fellow full back Nuno Mendes netted his second goal of the tie to put the visitors 5-1 up on aggregate.
The strikes silenced a previously almost-electric Villa Park, with fans knowing their side would have a mountain to climb in the form of a four-goal margin – though they did cut that to just one in the second half, losing 5-4 on aggregate.
Villa boss Unai Emery had pledged to play a different game in the second leg at Villa Park, after his side enjoyed only 30 per cent possession in France six days earlier.
Early on, Villa employed a high press, but were caught out twice in the opening 11 minutes to find themselves 2-0 on the night – and, according to Rooney, the fans were to blame, not Emery.
Wayne Rooney suggested the Aston Villa fans were responsible for their side’s slow start against PSG
Rooney suggested that the team reacted to the crowd and ended up pressing too high upfield
The Villa Park faithful were in full voice before and during the game as the tried to encourage their side
‘We saw it at the Chelsea game where players are influenced by the crowd,’ he said on Amazon Prime punditry. ‘Fans would have come here today and players react to that.
‘There should be leaders on the pitch who say to slow down or you are out of the game before you know it.’
The first goal of the game saw Marcus Rashford lose the ball up the pitch, with Boubacar Kamara choosing to press from defensive midfield and Matty Cash also high up from right back.
That left Villa vulnerable on the right, and Ousmane Dembele took advantage as he broke and cross before Hakimi ultimately finished.
The, for the second goal, Villa had won the ball back in PSG’s box but were caught out pressing too high and leaving a four on two scenario at the back, with Mendes finishing.
‘You are going to suffer,’ Rooney said of the first goal. ‘You have to run first and Villa have been too focused on trying to press. They had to stay in the game but they pressed too soon and have been punished.’
On the second, Daniel Sturridge added: ‘Villa in this incidence are on the front foot and win the ball in the box but, for me, certain players are pressing too high.
‘[There is a] centre back vacating the space and it’s directly four versus two. How has that happened in such a short space of time? They were devastating.
A giant tifo was displayed in the stands prior to the game that read: ‘This is Villa Park’
Unai Emery had promised his side would be more aggressive in the second leg after their defeat in Paris
Rooney appeared to liken the opening moments to a scenario at Stamford Bridge this weekend that saw Chelsea fans booing short goal kicks before the Blues eventually went long.
Villa fans were soon back in full voice, though, as they tried to urge their side on to get an equalising goal in the final few minutes. Though the likes of Ezri Konsa and Marco Asensio had chances, Villa ultimately fell short and were knocked out.
