The thanks from the Paris FC players for greeting their audience necessarily had a bitter taste.
There it's finished.
Paris FC has multiplied its exploits (elimination of Arsenal, Wolfsburg, double success against Real Madrid), created a buzz on the networks with promotional films shot and scripted by the players to fill Charléty (13,274 spectators, broken record) and dreamed.
The Champions League campaign for Sandrine Soubeyrand's players was magnificent, even exceptional, rich in learning and memories.
But it logically and suddenly stopped (0-4) this Tuesday, January 30 during the last match of the group stages against the ogre Chelsea.
The scenario of qualifying for the quarters already remained very hypothetical: obligatory victory against Chelsea combined with a draw or a defeat for the Swedes of Häcken at Real Madrid.
But this slim hope only lasted ten minutes.
The Charléty stadium was just starting to fill up with its many latecomers when English international Fran Kirby, with a header, cooled the atmosphere (0-1, 10th).
Thea Greboval caught in the vice of the London players.
(Photo by Daniel Derajinski/Icon Sport) 2024 Icon Sport
If Paris FC did not give up anything like in this rush followed by the strike of the indestructible Gaëtane Thiney (20th), this strike from Mathilde Bourdieu deflected by the goalkeeper (21st), this cross shot missed by Julie Dufour (25th) or this recovery from Celina Ould Houcine (28th) above, Chelsea, surgical, stood out on a new header signed Mia Fishel (0-2, 37th).
In the other match, Häcken took the lead at Real Madrid in the 63rd minute.
Enough to alleviate regrets... Because in these conditions, even an exploit against Chelsea would have been in vain for Paris FC.
Despite everything, the encouragement from Charléty's large audience did not diminish.
The Parisian players continued to attack but were crucified again following a disagreement between Chiamaka Nnadozie and Julie Soyer exploited by Guro Reiten (0-3, 74th).
Often decisive in previous Champions League matches, the Nigerian goalkeeper, voted best in Africa in 2023, came through against the English who even added a 4th goal by Maren Mjelde (0-4, 78th).
Given its career so far, Paris FC did not deserve to leave the Champions League in such a rout.
But he was able to realize what still separated him from the European elite.
Match sheet
PARIS FC - CHELSEA: 0-4 (0-2).
Spectators: 13,274.
Goals.
Chelsea: Kirby (10th), Fishel (37th), Reiten (74th), Mjelde (79th).
Paris FC: Nnadozie - Soyer, Ould Hocine, Greboval, Bogaert (Ndongala, 86th) - Corboz, Le Mouël (Korosec, 67th) - Mateo (Fleury, 86th), Thiney (cap.), Dufour (Bussy, 75th) - Bourdieu (Ribadeira, 75th).
Enter.
: Soubeyrand.