No one knows yet if the spectacle will be up to par, if this eleventh PSG – Real in history will keep all the promises that the profile of the two teams has given rise to in the supporters of both camps.
But there is no doubt that the opposition between the teammates of Marquinhos and those of Karim Benzema fascinates the entire football world.
The proof ?
Two hundred and seventy-six journalists from all over the world have indeed been accredited to attend the clash of the knockout stages of the Champions League scheduled for Tuesday at the Parc des Princes.
In detail, 86 photographers, 190 journalists, notably from the 35 television channels present, will fill the bays of the Parisian enclosure.
“It's the equivalent of a Champions League final, explains a UEFA official present on Monday at Camp des Loges to better gauge the enthusiasm around the event.
And, again, we refused people.
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In recent weeks, the capital club has centralized more than 500 accreditation requests, all media combined.
Requests much higher than those, however numerous, which had been made for the arrival of Manchester City at the end of September during the second day of the group stage.
“There, we are really on the standards of the biggest matches at the Parc des Princes, we say internally.
The figures are comparable to those in the semi-final against City last season.
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An effervescence which began to be felt on Monday at the training sessions of the two teams as well as at the pre-match press conferences.
In the morning, nearly 50 journalists had indeed moved to the Camp des Loges to attend the first 15 minutes of the Paris session open to the media.
A little less, a priori, than those who will seek to scrutinize the stride of Karim Benzema and the people of Madrid since more than 65 people are expected at the Parc des Princes this evening for Real's first quarter of an hour of training.
40 Spanish journalists in the press box
It is not the first time this season that the Parc des Princes has panicked the figures and the media of the planet.
On September 19, for Leo Messi's first home in the Parisian jersey, the shock against Lyon counting from the 6th day of Ligue 1, had also heated up the counters.
No less than 253 journalists from all over the world had been accredited to follow the first steps of La Pulga on its new lawn.
But this Tuesday evening, the Parc des Princes will look like this Santiago-Bernabeu which, in February 2018, during the last 1/8 final between the two teams had already aroused incredible interest.
At the time, 800 professionals from 200 different media had indeed been accredited so that coverage was assured in practically everyone.
This will be the case again on Tuesday.
Of the 180 journalists scheduled for the press gallery, 40 will come from Spain.
But on the whole of the accredited no less than 37 other nations will be represented.
Among them, we will find European journalists “accustomed” to following this type of meeting.
But, if need be, the presence of representatives of the Chinese, Indian, Cuban, Australian or even American media show all the interest that the whole world seems to have in this clash at the top.