"We're really unlucky."
Comments identical to this one are everywhere, in our private discussions as on social networks, since this Friday noon and the draw for the final draw of the 2020-2021 Champions League.
In the quarter-finals, PSG will face defending champion Bayern Munich.
In the semifinals, in case of qualification, the Parisians could face Manchester City, which currently crushes the Premier League.
FC Porto, Liverpool or Real Madrid, which seemed more “affordable” teams this season, are in the table opposite.
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But is Paris really unlucky in the draw?
To find out more, we have analyzed all the opponents faced in the knockout stage since 2012-2013.
Based on a factual ranking: the UEFA coefficient, calculated on the performance of different clubs in Europe over five seasons.
This coefficient does not say everything about a club but it proves consistency at the highest European level.
As the notion of "luck" remains subjective, it is up to everyone to find a conclusion on the fate of PSG.
2012-2013 season: rather helped for the return to C1
Lionel Messi leaves no chance to Salvatore Sirigu in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League between PSG and Barcelona in 2013. LP / Matthieu de Martignac
First in its group, PSG (48th in the UEFA ranking) avoids Real (5th), Arsenal (6th) or AC Milan (12th), the main dangers of the draw for the round of 16.
He finally inherits from Valencia (13th) and eliminates the Spanish club.
In the quarter-finals?
Malaga and Galatasaray seem to attract attention but Carlo Ancelotti's men fall against FC Barcelona (1st).
A big piece.
The teams encountered: Paris (48th) against Valence (13th) and Barcelona (1st).
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2013-2014 season: there were only cadors in quarterback
The explosion of joy from the Chelsea Blues who eliminated PSG at the very end of the game in April 2014. AFP
Once again, PSG finished first in their group.
Like the previous season, fate has in store for him a very favorable opponent in the round of 16 with Bayer Leverkusen (42nd in the UEFA ranking).
For the quarterfinals, only top names above PSG (Real, Atlético, Bayern, Manchester United, Barcelona, Dortmund, Chelsea) are qualified.
The name of Chelsea, winner in 2012, finally comes out.
Paris will be narrowly eliminated (3-1; 0-2).
The teams encountered: Paris (19th) against Leverkusen (42nd) and Chelsea (3rd).
2014-2015 season: "MSN" at the top
Neymar, then at FC Barcelona, takes the best over PSG on the lawn of the Parc des Princes.
LP / Olivier Arandel
In the group stage, PSG bowed to Barça and let out the first place.
For the round of 16, his position of second is not favorable to him.
Only FC Porto seem to be “a good draw”.
But the Parisians are only 17th in the UEFA ranking that year.
In 8th, it will be Chelsea.
In quarters?
Monaco or Porto are potential opponents.
But it is still Barça and its "MSN" (Messi, Suarez, Neymar), future winners of the competition.
The teams encountered: Paris (17th) against Chelsea (4th) and Barcelona (2nd).
2015-2016 season: Manchester City, an "affordable opponent"
Marquinhos and PSG fell against Kevin de Bruyne's Manchester City in 2016. REUTERS
Paris continues its discovery of the Champions League and stabilizes its status by hanging Real Madrid in pool.
But his second place made him fear the worst in the round of 16.
Wolfsburg and the Zénith Saint-Petersburg make your mouth water.
Paris falls on a bone, Chelsea.
The double confrontation is controlled (2-1; 2-1).
In quarters?
Wolfsburg, again, and Benfica seem to be the most affordable.
PSG takes Manchester City, far from being a European cador.
"Paris inherits an affordable opponent", we read in Le Parisien.
“All of a good draw”, headlines L'Équipe.
PSG will be eliminated (2-2; 0-1).
The teams encountered: Paris (11th) against Chelsea (4th) and City (17th).
2016-2017 season: "MSN", again, and remounted
Barça-Psg
The "remount" of March 6, 2017 against Barça entered the history of the Parisian club.
LP / Frédéric Dugit
PSG struggles in this post season Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Laurent Blanc.
Edinson Cavani rose to prominence under Unai Emery but the red and blue club finished only second in their group, behind Arsenal.
In the round of 16, he can only face the "heavy", with the exception of Leicester.
FC Barcelona, third in the UEFA rankings far ahead of Paris and winner of the 2015 edition, is finally waiting for him.
With the surrealist scenario of the "remountada".
The teams encountered: Paris (7th) against Barcelona (3rd)
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2017-2018 season: against the tenant, Real de Zidane
PSG fails against the triple winner of the Champions League in March 2018. LP / Olivier Arandel
In 2017, PSG ended the calendar year with a 3-1 defeat in Munich but managed to remain first in its group.
An advantage in view of the round of 16?
Apparently, yes.
But in the middle of FC Basel, Shakhtar Donetsk or FC Porto, potential opponents, the PSG of Unai Emery inherits from Real Madrid, double title holder and three times winner in four seasons.
Despite an encouraging first leg in the game, Paris leaves Madrid with a rouste (3-1), which he will not go back on the return (1-2).
The teams encountered: Paris (6th) against Real Madrid (1st)
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2018-2019 season: an improbable disaster
On March 6, 2019, at the Parc, Kylian Mbappé could not believe it: PSG was eliminated at the last minute by Manchester United in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
LP / Arnaud Journois
Brilliant first in a difficult group (Liverpool, Naples), PSG inherits Manchester United in the round of 16.
Seventh in the UEFA ranking, Paris faces twelfth in the same ranking.
In great difficulty at the time of the draw (José Mourinho will even be dismissed), the Reds Devils are far from their glorious past.
"Paris avoids the worst", headlines Le Parisien that day.
The result was unpredictable: despite a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford, PSG was picked up by a Manchester United B team at the Parc des Princes (1-3).
The teams encountered: Paris (7th) against Manchester United (12th).
2019-2020 season: an "easy" table
PSG eliminates at the end of the suspense the Italian team of Atalanta in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
LP / Arnaud Journois
To reach the final (the first in its history), PSG successively eliminated Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta Bergamo and RB Leipzig.
Eighth in the UEFA rankings, the capital club has inherited only opponents within its reach.
Dortmund were in 13th place, Atalanta in 92nd place and Leipzig in 69th place in the same ranking.
By way of comparison, Bayern Munich (then 3rd), future winner, eliminated Chelsea (12th), Barça (2nd) and Lyon (27th).
The teams encountered: Paris (8th) against Dortmund (13th), Bergamo (92nd), Leipzig (69th) and Bayern Munich (3rd).
2020-2021 season: the worst year?
Julian Draxler and PSG beat FC Barcelona this season in the 8th of the Champions League.
LP / Arnaud Journois
FC Barcelona in the round of 16, Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, potentially Manchester City in the semifinals ... If PSG wins this Champions League, they can bulge their chest.
The three clubs mentioned above are well ahead of the UEFA coefficient.
Bayern Munich even largely dominates this ranking.
It is therefore only a question here of more regular clubs than Paris over the last five seasons.
The teams encountered: Paris (7th) against Manchester United (9th), Leipzig (31st), Basaksehir (71st), Barcelona (3rd), Bayern (1st).
