Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans recoiled in shock with a stunned silence after Barcelona pulled off a historic comeback in the second leg of their Champions League 2016/17 Round of 16 match. The Spanish giants became the first team in the European tournament's history to overturn a 4-0 deficit, defying odds of 200/1.
"We lost everything in the closing minutes," said PSG manager Unai Emery. While Neymar delivered a performance for the ages, it was Barca manager Luis Enrique who maintained belief despite a scenario where the vast majority hardly gave the Spanish side a 1 percent chance of qualification. "If they can score four goals, we can score six. Infinite things can happen," maintained Enrique, setting the stage for an extraordinary 6-1 comeback win.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!While Emery soon made his way out, the 'chokers tag' became ingrained in the club's identity. PSG never really managed to overcome the horrors of that night at Camp Nou, surrendering the momentum yet again in the 2018-19 edition of the Champions League. The French club pulled off a 2-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the first leg of their quarter-final. However, PSG again failed to get the job done in the second leg, losing 1-3 and crashing out. Even the presence of Neymar, who was signed from Barcelona for a record sum, as well as Kylian Mbappe, proved insufficient.
Who's that IPL player?While PSG's fortunes in the Champions League did improve over the years, reaching the tournament's final in the 2019-20 edition, inability to hold on under pressure stood out like a sore thumb. Mbappe and Neymar failed to convert chances as Bayern Munich pulled off a clinical win. While PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi had made the club's desire to win the Champions League amply clear, fortune simply failed to swing in their favour despite the addition of Lionel Messi.
PSG's tendency to commit harakiri remained constant in the 2021/22 edition, especially during their Round of 16 match against Real Madrid. The French club leaked three goals in 17 minutes, crashing out of the competition following a 2-3 loss on aggregate.
As the managerial merry-go-round continued, Khelaifi took a drastic and controversial decision by appointing Enrique as the manager at the start of the 2023/24 season. The move was certainly unpopular among the PSG fans, considering the Spaniard's 'persona non grata' status after the pain he had subjected them to. Well, who can begrudge unwillingness to face your worst nightmare on a daily basis?
Enrique stamped his philosophy from the first day itself, terming the situation at PSG "chaotic" and shocking. While managers had previously been quite cautious while dealing with Mbappe, the Spaniard openly highlighted his lack of desire to defend. "A little bit more normalcy does no harm,” said Enrique.
There was complete focus on work rate, with players dropped irrespective of their profile in case of any drop in standards. While players and agents earlier attempted to manipulate the manager through external pressure, none of that worked in this case, as Enrique strongly went about his philosophy. Young talents like Willian Pacho, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, and Vitinha made their way in as PSG shifted their focus from the biggest names to building a strong core.
The Spaniard won over fans by giving Barcelona a taste of their own medicine in the 2023/24 quarter-finals. PSG overturned a 2-3 deficit by recording a comprehensive 4-1 win in the second leg, as the Parisians pulled off their own 'La Remontada'. However, there was more work in store for Enrique as he soon realised following a 2-0 loss on aggregate against Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals. PSG hit the woodwork six times but failed to score a single goal.
There was further an unexpected blow in store for Enrique as Mbappe forced a move to Real Madrid, depriving the Parisians of their top goal-scorer. While other managers would've been perturbed, the former Barcelona manager remained nonplussed. "Our game does not consist in letting Mbappé do what he wants. That was the old philosophy which never won a major trophy. We are better in attack without him," he said.
While such strong words could have made him a laughing stock, Enrique went about rebuilding with gusto, building a strong setup around attackers Ousmane Dembele, Goncalo Ramos and Doué. Dembele found his feet after being sidelined at Barcelona, scoring 33 goals in 45 matches this season. While PSG reached the Champions League 2024/25 final against Inter Milan, who'd been beaten only once the entire season, naysayers predicted them to perish yet again.
However, Enrique's side showcased a strong display of intent, recording the biggest win in a Champions League final with five goals. PSG finally managed to win the Champions League for the first time, pulling off a feat which had seemed jinxed at one stage. Doue chipped in with a brace while another young prospect Senny Mayulu scored the final goal, showcasing the wealth of talent in PSG's kitty. Enrique wept tears of joy, having gifted everlasting peace to the PSG fans after tormenting them for eight years.
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