The Night When PSG Became Giants
As PSG and Barcelona prepare to lock horns in the Champions League this week, we look back at the first time Blaugrana visited the Parc des Princes in the tournament, 19 years ago.
The first time PSG hosted Barcelona in a major European cup competition was at the quarter-final stage of the 1995 Champions League. The electric contest featured some of the finest players in European football and announced PSG’s arrival on the elite stage.
The match at the Parc des Princes was the deciding leg after the sides had drawn 1-1 at the Camp Nou. In front of over 115,000 raucous fans, the Catalan giants took the lead in Spain through Igor Korneev, before George Weah equalised with a glancing header.
The Parisians’ performance had been characteristically swashbuckling. Luis Fernandez’s Les Rouges et Bleus had lit up the tournament– David Ginola and Brazilians Valdo and Rai provided skill and panache, while Weah was a goal machine. The Liberian’s equaliser was his seventh goal in as many tournament games. What’s more, marshalled by goalkeeper Bernard Lama and Brazilian stopper Riccardo, they’d conceded only three goals in the group stage. It was a club on the up, revitalised by investment from TV titan Canal+, and still buoyant from their league title the previous season - only the second in their history.
Yet their opponents were still favourites. Barcelona boasted an enviable European pedigree, having won the tournament in 1992 and lost in the final the previous summer. Coached by club legend Johann Cruyff, Blaugrana had a galaxy of stars at their disposal, including Ronald Koeman, Gheorghe Hagi and, El Pistolero (‘The Gunslinger’), Hristo Stoichkov.
The home side started the second leg strongly. A teasing run and cross by Ginola was met by Weah, whose powerful header crashed off the bar. The striker then saw his near post shot saved by the studs of Carles Busquets. The rampant Parisians hit the woodwork three more times in the half, twice through Ginola and once from a diving header from Rai.
Five minutes into the second half PSG were punished for their profligacy when, José Mari Bakero, the smallest man on the pitch, rose highest to head home from Koeman’s freekick. PSG responded positively and twice the luckless Ginola went close. Firstly, with a low strike saved by Busquets, and then with an audacious scoop which bounced off the bar again. Just when it seemed they’d never score, Paris finally grabbed the goal they deserved. On 72 minutes, Paul Le Guen’s inswinging corner from the left was glanced home by Rai.
Parity restored, the stage was set for a grandstand finish and PSG found a winner from the most unlikely source. Picking up the ball halfway inside the Barcelona half, defensive midfielder Vincent Guérin drove towards the visitors’ goal. As defenders backed off, Guérin unleashed a long-range daisy cutter that skidded past the despairing Busquets. It was only Guérin’s third goal all season.
It was an unremarkable strike to settle an epic encounter, but PSG’s delirious fans couldn’t care less. France’s capital club had beaten one of the greats of European club football and made it through to their first ever Champions League semi-final. PSG had arrived.