50 legendary matches: Paris on cloud nine against Real!

September 18 2019. For their 50th home game in Champions League history, Paris hosted Real Madrid. A special match that of course brought back great memories for the Rouge & Bleu fans of the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup 1993 against the Merengue, won at the end of a suspenseful night by Kombouaré's header (4-1, March 18 1993).

Since that first meeting of the two capital clubs, a special atmosphere has surrounded clashes between PSG and Real Madrid. Even if Paris had to cope without Neymar Jr (suspended), Kylian Mbappé and Edinson Cavani (injured), the Parc was ready to rock…

PARIS CUT LOOSE
Led by a hungry Angel Di Maria who had visibly missed Europe since the previous March, Paris started their eighth consecutive UEFA Champions League campaign at high pace. The Parc got to know one of the new players, Idrissa Gueye, omnipresent in midfield as he put in an XXL display, guiding his teammates towards a resounding success. 

Approaching the quarter-hour Icardi combined on the left with Bernat, who set up Di Maria. The Argentine - playing his 100th European game - met the cross at the front post and surprised Courtois with a toe-poke (1-0, 14'). The Real Madrid replay was almost immediate, but Hazard missed the target (16'), before Bale did the same from a free-kick (32').

That scare over, Fideo took matters into his own hands and doubled the advantage. Set up by  Gueye, the Paris number 11 let fly with a laser-guided shot from 20 metres (2-0, 33'). It was his 20th goal in the competition. Paris seemed to be cruising in a game they were mastering. For Madrid, Bale tried to make something happen but the Welshman correctly had a goal ruled out (36') - just like Benzema later in the game (76') - before again missing the target (45+1').

While Real Madrid didn't manage to get a single shot on target against their former goalkeeper Keylor Navas, Angel Di Maria was as up for it as ever and wasn't far away from a hat-trick with a chipped effort, after the ball had been won back high up the field by the inevitable Gueye (60'). In the end Meunier rounded off the Parisian recital as he scored the third goal past his compatriot Courtois (3-0, 90+1'). Paris hit top spot in Group A!

"The team put in a great game, against a great side. We were up to the task and we worked hard as a team in order to win and start the group stage well. The coach told us it was the first game, at home, and that we needed to enjoy it and go for it. I tried to play my role and help the team", Idrissa Gueye, who shone in midfield, told us after the game. 

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN - REAL MADRID CF  : 3-0 (2-0)
UEFA Champions League - Group Stage - Group A - Matchday 1
September 18 2019 - Parc des Princes
Referee: Anthony Taylor (ANG).
Goals: Di Maria (14', 33') and Meunier (90+1').
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN : K. Navas - Meunier, T. Silva (c), Kimpembe, Juan Bernat - Gana, Marquinhos (Ander Herrera, 70'), Verratti - Sarabia (Diallo, 89'), Di Maria - Icardi (Choupo-Moting, 60'). Coach: Thomas Tuchel.
REAL MADRID : Courtois - Carvajal, Éder Militão, Varane, Mendy - Kroos, Casemiro, James (Jovic, 70') - Hazard (Lucas Vazquez, 70'), Bale (Vinicius, 79') - Benzema (c). Coach: Zinédine Zidane.

Relive this game in live conditions with the PSG Watch Party this Wednesday April 1 at 21:00 CET: