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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Real Madrid will face each other on February 15, 2022 for the sixth time in European football club cups, including a fourth time in the Champions League (C1). Before this round of 16 first leg of C1, a look back at the five previous confrontations between the French team and its Spanish counterpart, at the Parc des Princes.
March 18, 1993: PSG’s best night against Real
The first clash between PSG and Real Madrid on the European stage remains one of the greatest memories of Parisian fans. After a quarter-final first leg of the UEFA Cup [1] Dominated 3-1 by Madrid, Paris opened the scoring thanks to a masterful header from George Weah before David Ginola (already a scorer in Spain) doubled the lead with a sublime half-volley. The Brazilian Valdo then widens the gap with a cross shot, after a subtle fake shot. But, during stoppage time, on a corner, Ivan Zamorano puts the two teams tied on the whole of the two meetings. However, there will be no extension. During the following seconds, on a final free kick, Antoine Kombouaré cuts the trajectory of the ball with his head: 4-1, final score. Eighteen years before its takeover by Qatar, PSG signs one of its first legendary matches in European cups.
March 15, 1994: PSG eliminate Real again
A year later, Parisians and Madrid meet again in the quarter-finals, but this time in the European Cup Winners’ Cup, a competition abolished by UEFA in 1999. In the first leg, PSG paid the luxury of going away to win, thanks to a goal from Weah after a good overflow from Ginola. On the return, the club from the capital multiplies the superb collective movements without finding the fault. It was Real who opened the scoring on a deflected shot by Emilio Butragueño. But, as in 1993, PSG made the difference with an indirect free kick, taken this time by Ricardo. The French formation, then owned by the audiovisual group Canal Plus, continues to make a name for itself across Europe.
October 21, 2015: the dullest
It took eleven years for PSG to find Real Madrid in European cups. From 1998, the French club began to decline. In 2006, it was sold to the Colony Capital group. A parenthesis without success. In 2011, it was bought by Qatar. The ambitions have become immense and the eleven lined up in the group stage of the 2015-2016 Champions League looks great, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in particular in attack. But neither “Ibra” nor Cristiano Ronaldo shake the nets during this meeting with a lower stake. In the return match, the “Merengue” won 1-0.
March 6, 2018: Real puts PSG in its place
For its seventh season under the Qatari flag, Paris Saint-Germain still has very high ambitions in the Champions League. Especially after being eliminated in 8e final of the previous edition after a humiliating “comeback” from FC Barcelona (6-1 defeat on the return leg, after a 4-0 success in France). But PSG still comes up against a Spanish club. Real Madrid, en route to a third consecutive title in C1, continues after a 3-1 victory in the first leg. Ronaldo opens the scoring with a header. Edinson Cavani temporarily maintains hope, after a game of billiards in the opposing area. But, reduced to ten against eleven after the exclusion of Marco Verratti, the Parisians crack on a deflected shot from Casemiro. Final score: 1-2. To dream bigger, we will have to wait…
September 18, 2019: PSG’s clearest victory
It’s just a Champions League group stage game. But this 3-0 victory sets the stage for an extraordinary season for PSG. A season that will stretch until August 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, with a final lost 1-0 against Bayern Munich. Paris takes place on September 18, 2019 against Real now orphaned by Cristiano Ronaldo (left for Juventus Turin). Angel Di Maria offers himself a double, with two well-placed shots, against his former club. Thomas Meunier carries the thrust. The band of Zinédine Zidane, who has become a Madrid coach again, sees red. The French champions will then snatch a 2-2 draw in Spain.
[1] The former name of the Europa League.
