That’s it, Paris Saint-Germain know the composition of their group for the next Champions League. On the program: Juventus Turin, Benfica Lisbon and Maccabi Haifa. But for Parisians, this group H brings back painful memories.
This is the first time the capital club will play Juventus in the Champions League, but their last games against the Turin club are still fondly remembered. During its final official confrontation with the Bianconeri, PSG had suffered a heavy defeat. After their title in the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the French club faced in 1997 the last winner of the Champions League, Juventus.
The Italians then made short work of their opponents, winning the game 1-6 at the Parc des Princes. The Parisians even finish at 10 against 11, after the red card inflicted on Laurent Fournier. A volley that will give the idea to the “Guignols de l’info” of Canal +, then owner of the club, of the famous “sorry” by Michel Denisot, a sketch passed down to posterity.
A real humiliation at home followed by another defeat, 3-1, in the second leg. Before that, the Old Lady was already PSG’s pet peeve on the European scene, since the French were eliminated each time, in 83-84, 89-90 and 92-93.
A humiliating elimination in Haifa
But Maccabi Haifa, one of the little thumbs of this new edition of the Champions League, also recalls a complicated past. In 1998, PSG experienced one of the most unexpected eliminations in French football against Maccabi. In the round of 16 of the Coupe des Coupes, Alain Giresse’s men failed to get rid of their opponents at the Parc des Princes (1-1). In Israel, Jay-Jay Okocha conditioned the Kiriat Eliezers Stadium in the 87th minute, equalizing at 2-2.
The Parisians then believe they hold the qualification, but the joy only lasts a very short time. As added time begins, Maccabi Haifa scores a life-saving goal to qualify and win 3-2. Alain Giresse was dismissed from his post a few days later.
PSG will therefore try to erase these bad memories in Group H this year. This is the second time he has met Benfica in the group stage of the Champions League. In 2013, Laurent Blanc’s team won 3-0 at home, before losing 2-1 in Portugal, and finishing first in their group.
