Football fans were left amused and slightly bewildered on Tuesday evening when a blunder at Villa Park saw the wrong anthem played ahead of Aston Villa’s crucial UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second-leg match against Paris Saint-Germain.
As both teams lined up amid a roaring crowd, anticipation building for kickoff, the familiar tones of the Champions League anthem were expected to fill the air. Instead, the Europa League anthem began to play, sparking visible confusion among players and fans alike. Some PSG and Villa players glanced around uncertainly as the error unfolded. Fortunately, the sound operator quickly corrected the mistake, switching to the correct anthem just in time before the match began.
While not common, such moments have occurred in the past—most notably with Uruguay at the 2016 Copa America—bringing an unexpected dose of humor to high-stakes games.
Once play commenced, Paris Saint-Germain wasted no time asserting dominance. Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring in the 11th minute, capitalizing on a poor clearance from Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. PSG’s relentless pressure continued, with Nuno Mendes adding a second goal before halftime.
With this commanding performance, PSG look set to secure a spot in the semifinals. Villa, despite a strong home crowd, face an uphill battle to turn the tie around.
Though the match may be remembered for PSG’s clinical display, the anthem mishap has already etched itself into the folklore of Champions League oddities—a reminder that even at the highest level, surprises happen.
