50 legendary matches: Paris hit Troyes for 8!
As part of the club's 50th anniversary celebrations, PSG.FR takes a look at some of the club's classic performances down the years.
Just over two weeks after a chastening 3-0 home defeat to Nice, Paris Saint-Germain were back at the Parc des Princes looking to make amends; a crowd of 9,380 were hoping they could do the same against Troyes.
It didn't take long for those hopes to be realised as the hosts all but wrapped up the game inside eight minutes. Defender Ramon Heredia's ball found Carlos Bianchi, and though Troyes goalkeeper Jean-Luc Arblay got a touch on the Argentine forward's effort, it still found the net (1-0, 5'). Three minutes later, Jean-Marc Pilorget picked the ball up in the middle of the pitch, strode forward and smashed home a shot from 20 metres (2-0, 8'). It was the Parisian defender's first goal for the club in one of his 435 competitive appearances for the Rouge-et-Bleu, which still stands today as a club record.
François M’Pelé sent a shot from a tight angle off both uprights and into the net to make it three (3-0, 23'). Troyes pulled one back (3-1, 35') through Robert Jacques (who would sign for Paris eight years later) but the capital club restored their three-goal advantage just before the break: Mustapha Dahleb's pass and a volley from - who else? - Bianchi (4-1, 41').
There was no taking the foot off the gas after the restart. Eric Renaut netted number five from a Dahleb free-kick (5-1, 49'), and though Cheick Diallo's penalty reduced Troyes' deficit (5-2, 63'), the hosts weren't finished yet. M’Pelé scored from a Bianchi cross (6-2, 65'), and the Argentine then netted two more himself thanks to approach work from Philippe Redon (7-2, 74') and M’Pelé (8-2, 77').
Bianchi's four goals marked a league first for a Parisian player, and Paris Saint-Germain coach Jean-Michel Larqué could scarcely believe what he had seen, calling the evening "unforgettable".
Bianchi, who had been singled out by the Parc crowd for his below-par performance against Nice, held no grudges: "It's not nice to be whistled at, because that doesn't encourage you to play better. But you have to be patient, accept it and say to yourself that you'll get revenge sooner or later. It came today."
This record for goals scored in a single game was eventually beaten on 13 March, 2016, when Paris won 9-0 against...guess who? Troyes.
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN – TROYES : 8-2 (4-1)
Division 1 - Round 12
14 October 1977 - Parc des Princes (Paris)
Referee: M.Bacou.
Goals: Bianchi (5', 41', 74', 77'), Pilorget (8'), M’Pelé (23', 65'), Renaut (49'); Jacques (35'), Diallo (63')
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN: Bensoussan – Lokoli, Morin, Pilorget, Heredia – Renaut (Adams 67'), F.Brisson, Dahleb (Justier 67') – Bianchi, M’Pelé, Redon Coach: J.M. Larqué
TROYES: Arblay – Jacques, Le lamer, Mahut, Zorzetto – Sanchez, Verstraete, Vendrely, Diallo (Raulin 70') – Fuchs (Borne 70'), Tota Coach: R. Cedolin