These are called industrial disasters. Under the QSI era, PSG had five. A high figure for a team that aspires to become a great in Europe. From Chelsea in 2014, via the two Manchester, City in 2016, United in 2019, and the Spanish comebacks against Barça 2017 and Real Madrid this Wednesday, the Parisians have often fallen from above.
Episode 1: Chelsea 2014, and PSG created Demba Ba
On April 8, 2014, PSG dreamed big of qualifying for the semi-finals. Normal, on the way, six days earlier, the Parisians crunched the Londoners of Chelsea (3-1) thanks to Ezequiel Lavezzi, a csc of David Luiz and Javier Pastore. Seductive, the Parisians travel to the English capital in the skin of the favorite. A status reinforced by the injury exit of Eden Hazard at the end of the first quarter of an hour. His replacement, the German André Schürrle made up half the delay in the 32nd minute before Demba Ba, the player from Hauts-de-Seine, reduced Parisian hopes to nothing in the 87th minute (2-0). Infuriating.
Episode 2: Manchester City 2016, and PSG sacrificed Laurent Blanc
Despite a draw (2-2) at the Parc des Princes, the Ibrahimovic and Rabiot, scorers in the first leg, believe they can reverse the trend on April 12, 2016. Winner at Chelsea (1-2) in the round of 16 a few weeks previously, PSG are convinced that they can do the same thing further north in Manchester against the Skyblues. In a tight encounter marked by innovative tactical choices by Laurent Blanc (an unprecedented 3-5-2 with Aurier as central defender), PSG were surprised by the Belgian De Bruyne at the start of the last quarter of an hour (1 -0). Heartbreaking.
Episode 3: Barcelona 2017, and PSG invented the comeback
In the round of 16 of the Cup with big ears, we are already salivating from this Barça-PSG. Faced with the best team in the world, PSG hopes to become a great in Europe. And it almost becomes so at the end of a hallucinating first leg. Victorious 4-0 thanks to a double from Di Maria, then Draxler and Cavani, the French team is already in the quarter-finals according to the statistics. But on March 8, 2017, National Women’s Rights Day, PSG is not immune to the Catalan comeback. A 6-1 for eternity and a humiliation that will forever remain in the DNA of the QSI era. Traumatic.
Episode 4: Manchester United 2019, and PSG did not escape ridicule
Stronger than the Barcelona comeback, the miracle of Manchester United two years later! Still in the round of 16, PSG is able to push the adventure a little further, against a very limited Manchester United. Winners (2-0) at Old Trafford with inspired Kimpembe and Mbappé, Thomas Tuchel’s players have all the cards in hand. Especially since Manchester travels with a bis team. Everything changes on a dumpling from Buffon for Lukaku’s 2-1 goal. As for the Rashford penalty obtained in added time after the VAR consultation, it knocks out the Parisians (1-3). Stunning.
Episode 5: Real Madrid 2022, and PSG scuttled themselves
No, PSG is not cured of its past ills. Solid and superior to the people of Madrid in the first leg (1-0) thanks to the Mbappé phenomenon, the Parisians seem to assume their status as favorites in the round of 16 return to the Santiago-Bernabeu stadium. Moreover, Mbappé plays the terrors by opening the score. But all it took was a tiny grain of sand with an error from Donnarumma to wake up the old demons and above all a devil from Benzema, author of three goals in 16 minutes (3-1). The Parisian giant is KO standing and can return to his dear studies. With its 13 European Cups, Real remains the master and PSG raises it. Annoying.
