PSG’s romantic notion of bringing the Champions League trophy to the French capital has, ahead of tonight’s match with Manchester United, failed to play out.
The Ligue 1 giants have been targeting Europe’s biggest crown ever since their takeover back in 2011. During that time, some big names have failed to deliver it.
Not even the great Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who plundered goals galore during his time in Ligue 1. Edinson Cavani has failed too.
The last two years have been difficult for PSG when it comes to the Champions League. And it’s something that Manchester United will be hoping to exploit in the heat of the battle.
Their 6-1 defeat to Barcelona in 2017 was arguably the most dramatic European evening for a knockout tie.
PSG were 4-0 up from the first leg, having oblitered their opponents in every way. Angel Di Maria was sensational, bagging a brace. Cavani and Julian Draxler, too, made Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti look small-time.
But then came the return leg and a night where Barcelona smashed PSG’s hopes of European glory to smithereens.
Neymar was the star of the show that night, scoring a sublime brace to spearhead their revival. He also provided the assist for Sergio Roberto’s dramatic late strike.
For PSG, it was a huge blow. Proof in the eyes of their owners that investment, and another overhaul was needed.
It was then that they decided to pursue Neymar, whose desire to leave Barcelona reportedly started from that very night itself. Having been the star, the Catalan and Spanish press instead opted to splash their front and back pages with images of Lionel Messi and Roberto. It did not sit well.
Then came Kylian Mbappe, the French teenager who had burst onto the scene at Monaco. PSG agreed to pay Monaco £166million after a year-long loan – before he had even kicked a ball.
At this time, PSG thought they had finally struck gold. Mbappe, Neymar and Cavani. The best strike-force in Europe.
However, expectations again seemed to get to them. When they drew Real Madrid in the knockout stages of the Champions League last season, they were dubbed favourites.
Real had been inconsistent under Zinedine Zidane and Neymar and Mbappe were blitzing defences in Ligue 1.
But at the Bernabeu, they were outclassed. PSG’s two Galactico’s had been overshadowed by Real’s main one. Cristiano Ronaldo.
That night, like the evening where Barcelona rained goals down on them, pressure got to them. Neymar and Mbappe, for all their brilliance, went missing.
In the return leg – a game Neymar missed through injury – they never looked likely to spring a surprise. A 1-1 draw saw Real safely through.
The last two years have been difficult for PSG. It’s something that United will be conscious of going into the game, particularly given their underdog tag once again.
Expectation has been a problem for PSG. They have the players to beat tonight’s opponents, even without Neymar and Cavani in the picture.
Mbappe is a World Cup winner, Thiago Silva and Dani Alves are Champions League stalwarts, Di Maria will be driven by the past and Draxler will have a point to prove.
But they cannot let the past sit in their mind if they are to stop a United side sniffing blood