We are in January 2013. Nasser Al-Khelaïfi received our newspaper in Doha to detail the outlines of the policy of PSG, which he then chaired since June 2011. Asked how to reach the level of Real Madrid or FC Barcelona , the Qatari cut: “You have to be realistic.
These clubs have a history and a track record unlike those of PSG.
We cannot immediately compete with Real or Barça (…) We have given ourselves five years to be part of the top European level and win the Champions League.
"
An ambitious roadmap, since confronted with the reality of the time.
But if the Parisians have still not raised the European Grail, they are getting closer from year to year to FC Barcelona.
To the point of being, finally, on the verge of managing to eliminate the Catalans, whom they receive on Wednesday evening in the knockout stages return of C1.
Income: exponential growth
To compete sportingly, you have to compete financially.
Upon his arrival, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) works to increase revenues.
In 2011-2012, he placed the capital club in tenth place in the world ranking with 220.5 million euros in revenue.
A year later, it recorded an increase of 81% to reach 398.8 million euros, according to the annual report of the firm Deloitte.
Barça is then second in the world with 482.6 million euros in revenue.
In this financial success, PSG applies the same recipes as Barça.
With a flashy recruitment (Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva), he has arguments to optimize merchandising (jerseys, derivative products), ticketing and sponsorship contracts.
The signatures of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé in 2017 continue this policy.
In 2018-2019, the last season not impacted by the Covid-19, PSG recorded 635.9 million euros in revenue.
An expansion that does not however slow down that of other major Europeans.
With 840.8 million euros in revenue that same season, Barça achieved a historic record.
The gap still present between the two clubs can be explained in particular by income related to TV rights.
The Catalans get around 100 million euros more per season than the Parisians.
In this sense, Mediapro's crash with Ligue 1 is one of the worst news for PSG.
Image: the real issue
This week, PSG announced that it had passed the 100 million social media follower mark.
A chasm remains with FC Barcelona and its 250 million "fans".
But the small Parisian club and its 500,000 followers in 2011 have grown.
With a differentiated development strategy.
“We never wanted to become a copy of the big clubs, we say at PSG.
They will always be older, more historic.
Our idea has always been to develop our image as a great football brand, but also other criteria such as lifestyle.
We want to differentiate ourselves to explore new territories.
"
The sponsorship contract signed with the Jordan brand is the illustration of this strategy, which favors novelty over traditionalism.
A choice that pays off especially among the youngest and abroad.
Like Barça, PSG bet on a network of football academies located all over the world.
An upcoming opening is also planned in China, one of the priority territories.
The athlete: the time of the seesaw
In 2003, when Ronaldinho was looking for his European star, he left PSG for Barça.
In 2017, Neymar went the other way for a new challenge (and a little more money too).
But it is also proof of the progress of PSG: sportingly, this club attracts.
His coefficient, based on the results of the previous five seasons, has dropped from 35,000 in 2011-2012 to 108,000 today.
By eliminating Barça in the round of 16 of the Champions League this season, he should even overtake him next year.
Because, yes, the time has come for PSG, eliminated three times by the Blaugranas between 2013 and 2017. With the 4-1 acquired at Camp Nou, the Paris of Kylian Mbappé struck the first blow.
The second is expected Wednesday.
To validate ten years of a frantic race.
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