Shameful, ridiculous... European Super Cup, a painful memory for PSG (video)
RETRO - The capital club was humiliated by Zinedine Zidane and Didier Deschamps' Juventus during its first participation in the competition, in 1997.
" In Spain, we call it a bullfight ." Les Guignols de l'Info had a field day, featuring a hilarious Luis Fernandez to mock the Parisian president at the time, Michel Denisot. Denisot had sacked the former at the end of the previous season, in 1996, despite the Cup Winners' Cup victory. A success that allowed PSG to compete in the European Super Cup against the Champions League winners, Juve of Zinédine Zidane and Didier Deschamps. A celebration... that turned into a nightmare. Memories, as Luis Enrique's PSG will play in the same European Super Cup this Wednesday (9 p.m.), in Udine, against Tottenham.
The Turin side won 6-1 at the Parc des Princes in the first leg on January 15, 1997. " 6-1 is more of a table football score ," joked the "PPDA" puppet, still in that cult sequence from Les Guignols, the day after the match. Total humiliation. The laughing stock of France, of Europe.
Facing sparse stands and a pitch white with cold, it was the Parisians who lit the first fuse, through Guérin. Guérin gifted Porrini the first goal in the 4th minute, following an Italian free kick. Paris was still alive, however, as evidenced by this beautiful strike from Loko at the near post. Alas, Padovano rose higher than everyone else to head in a corner (0-2, 22nd). Leroy warned Peruzzi twice, without success. And Zidane found Ferrara's header from the six-yard box (0-3, 33rd). Again following a set piece, like the fourth goal, with Guérin making a mistake and Lama able to do no better than push it back to Padovano (0-4, 40th). Ruthless Juve.
There was no hope, even though Rai converted a penalty won by Dely-Valdes shortly after the restart (1-4, 52nd). A perfect counter-attack from the unflappable captain. Fournier, however, was seeing red: the Parisian full-back brought down Padovano and threw the ball in his face. The referee issued a second yellow card (63rd). As stupid as it was justified... From then on, chances rained down on Lama's goal, which conceded a fifth goal by Lombardo (1-5, 83rd) and even a sixth, by Amoruso (1-6, 88th). Boos at the final whistle.
Three weeks later, the two teams met again... in Sicily. One goal in mind for Ricardo's players: to avoid making a fool of themselves a second time. Mission accomplished. Juventus, however, won again (3-1). From a penalty spot (36th) Rai responded to Del Piero's opening goal (29th), who then scored twice (70th). Vieri closed the scoring late in the game (90th). After the first leg, President Denisot expressed his " shame ." " Ridiculous ," headlined L'Équipe . No doubt Luis Enrique's players will want to avoid attracting this kind of comment after their match against Tottenham this Wednesday in Udine. And this even if the conditions are not ideal, the Parisians having only resumed training last Wednesday, after a final match on July 13 for 2024-25...
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