PSG's comeback from a 3-1 deficit against Real Madrid in 1993
In the 1992-93 Uefa Cup the Ligue 1 side won a frantic match at the Parc des Princes 4-1 to eliminate Madrid from the competition.
Sergio Ramos prescribed caution after Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over PSG: “We’ve taken a huge step but the tie is still wide open.”
The 12-times European Cup winners have taken a 3-1 lead in the opening leg of a continental tie on nine occasions, going through in five of them against Manchester United (twice), Barcelona, Ujpest Dozsa and Napoli. The teams to have beaten them are Grasshopper, PSV, Kaiserslautern and PSG, all in the Uefa Cup where Madrid have curiously never successfully maintained a 3-1 advantage.
PSG precedent
In the quarter-finals of the competition in 1992-93 Real Madrid and PSG played each other over two legs, with the Spanish side winning 3-1 in the Bernabéu through goals from Emilio Butragueño, Ivan Zamorano and Míchel. David Ginola replied for the visitors.
In the return leg at the Parc des Princes, George Weah scored in the 33rd minute and Madrid’s lead looked safe until Ginola and Valdo made it 4-3 on aggregate. In a frantic stoppage time scrap, Zamorano appeared to have sealed the tie in Madrid’s favour before an Antoine Kombouaré strike in the 96th minute saw PSG through in dramatic fashion.
When Morientes man-handled Madrid
Zinedine will hope to avoid that scenario in Paris on this occasion and history is on Real Madrid’s side: in 11 of 18 European ties where they have held a two-goal advantage they have progressed, although two of their visits to France have ended in disappointment: PSG in 1993 and Monaco in the 2003-04 Champions League, where after winning the home leg 4-2 Real travelled to the Stade Louis II and lost 3-1, with on-loan Madrid striker Fernando Morientes scoring in both legs against his parent side.