Another PSG Champions League Exit; How did we get here?

Another PSG Champions League Exit; How did we get here?

Time Stamp: March 11, 2023 12:39 PM
Source Node: 2006380

As Serge Gnabry’s goal sealed another PSG Champions League exit, the soccer world is left only to wonder: how has it all gone wrong for the Parisians?

The Success

Since their Qatari takeover in 2011, Paris Saint Germain have experienced unprecedented success in France, but still have yet to be crowned European Champions. They have made massive strides in Ligue 1, winning eight of the previous 11 titles, finishing 2nd place in each year they didn’t win.

Adding to their league triumphs they have also collected six Coupe de France’s and nine French Supercups.

The Recruitment

They have been able to attract some of the best talent from around the world to help them climb towards the top. In the 2012 transfer window the Parisian club brought in the likes of Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from AC Milan, on top of others like Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marco Verratti, and Lucas Moura. They also brought in global superstar David Beckham that summer, allowing him to retire in Europe.

In the 2017 summer transfer window PSG would break the world transfer record, still in pursuit of Champions League glory. 222 million euros would see Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr. join up with their other big signing of the window, teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe.

Most recently they were able to sway Lionel Messi into joining the club on a free in the summer of 2022.

The Results

From 2012-2016, PSG did not make it past the quarter finals of the Champions League. Their biggest failure would come a year later however. In the 2017 round of 16, they beat FC Barcelona in Paris comfortably 4-0 heading into the second leg. FC Barcelona would score three goals in the final minutes of the game, winning 6-5 on aggregate score.

Following their collapse in Barcelona, PSG would see another two round of 16 exits. These times at the hands of Real Madrid in 2018, and a last-minute Marcus Rashford penalty in 2019.

After overcoming Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16, the pandemic would see all football in France canceled for the 2019/20 season. This meant PSG had just over 4 months to prepare for a mini-tournament in Lisbon.

This single-game elimination tournament would see the Parisians go through Atalanta and RB Leipzig on their way to a final against Bayern Munich. After years and hundreds of millions of euros, they were just 90 minutes away from victory.

In a tough-fought match it was a single goal that separated the two sides by the final whistle, and denied PSG’s European dream once again. Just before the 60th minute, former PSG youth product Kingsley Coman would head the ball into the back of the net, giving Bayern Munich the lead and eventually the trophy.

In the three seasons since that final they have brought in players like Keylor Navas, Lionel Messi, and Sergio Ramos to help, but still cannot produce on the big stage. A semi final exit followed in 2021 to Manchester City, and now this defeat to Bayern makes it two consecutive round of 16 exits for the French club.

The Future

After what seemed like an eternity of speculation, Kylian Mbappe finally settled on a new deal in Paris to keep him there until 2025. His other option: joining 14-time Champions League winners Real Madrid. With only a year gone however, and another disappointing European campaign it seems he may have made the wrong choice, and could be looking for the exit door soon.

Alongside Mbappe, Neymar could also be on his way out of the club. Reports say that PSG are increasingly frustrated with the player. This is in part due to the amount of time he spends on the sidelines injured. They could be looking to get him out of the club, and his massive wages of their books.

The final piece of the MNM trio leaves Lionel Messi, whose contract will expire in the summer. With the news constantly linking him with a move away from the Capital, it seems increasingly unlikely he will sign a new deal.

PSG’s Qatari-based benefactors have thrown at times unimaginable amounts of money at the club, all in the attempt to become the best in the world. Despite bringing in the best talent from around the world, once again we have witnessed another embarrassing PSG Champions League exit.

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