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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was eliminated by Real Madrid in the knockout stages of the Champions League on March 9, 2022. Another failure for PSG, bought by Qatar in 2011. A Qatar which, through colossal investments (1.4 billion euros in recruitment), is desperately trying to win this prestigious competition. Back to the main Parisian failures in C1, for a decade.
2014: the Senegalese Demba Ba punishes the Parisians
The second campaign of PSG version Qatar in the Champions League is going wonderfully until the quarter-final return. After a relatively easy first round, then a demonstration against Bayer Leverkusen (4-0, 2-1) in the round of 16, the Parisians dominated Chelsea in the quarter-final first leg. An incredible slalom from the Argentinian Javier Pastore, during added time, allowed them to win 3-1 at home.
In the return match, the team led by Laurent Blanc will nevertheless crack against that of José Mourinho. First on a close range recovery from André Schürrle. And especially on another Senegalese Demba Ba, in the 87th minute. The Blues qualify thanks to the away goals rule, a rule abolished in 2021. As in 2013, PSG stops at the gates of the semi-finals.
2017: Barça comeback and planetary humiliation
In the space of six years, PSG seems to have reached a milestone, thanks to the recruitment of stars and players with high potential. FC Barcelona, on the other hand, is no longer really the team that impressed the world of football so much. Illustration in the round of 16 first leg where the Parisians crush 4-0 a Barça who had nevertheless released them unceremoniously, in the quarter-finals (3-1, 2-0) of the 2015 edition.
The Parisians thus approach the return match very calmly. Too calmly. A goal from Luis Suarez (3e), another against his camp of Layvin Kurzawa (40e) then a penalty from Lionel Messi (50e) put Unai Emery’s players under pressure. Edinson Cavani gives them some air by reducing the score to 3-1 (62nd). But the unthinkable happens at the end of the game: Neymar with a double (88e90e+1), then Sergi Roberto (90e+5) allow the Blaugrana to win 6-1 and thus erase the first leg result. A historic “recovery”: never had a club reversed such a compromised situation in C1. Parisian humiliation is planetary.
2019 : Manchester United imite Chelsea
With the arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé in 2017, PSG has changed in size yet again. In the Champions League, however, this is not visible. The Parisians remain on eliminations in the round of 16 in 2017 and 2018. They therefore approach their double confrontation against Manchester United, the knife between their teeth.
Which works well for the team coached by Thomas Tuchel. She won 2-0 in England and has all the cards in hand to pass. The return match nevertheless takes a new catastrophic turn. If Juan Bernat equalizes quickly (12e) after a very early goal from Romelu Lukaku (3e), the Belgian signs a double for the Mancunians from the 30e minute. The French club then resisted the Mancunians somehow for the next hour. But, due to a hand from Presnel Kimpembe in his area, Marcus Rashford is offered a penalty and the 3-1 victory. Paris is still eliminated because of the away goal rule.
2021: Manchester City of the United Arab Emirates, winner of the “Golfico”
The Champions League semi-final between PSG and Manchester City is a symbol, between a club owned by Qatar and another under the flag of the United Arab Emirates. This indirect confrontation between Gulf countries – nicknamed “Golfico” in the football world – the Qataris do not want to lose it, after a first failure against the Citizens, in the quarter-finals of the 2016 edition.
It will however turn to the advantage of the English club. First with a 2-1 English victory in France, then another 2-0 Skyblues success in England. For the Parisians, who dominated Barça in the round of 16 then dismissed Bayern Munich in the quarters, the disillusionment is once again terrible.
