- Paris Saint-Germain have not won the UEFA Champions League in their storied history
- They have spent huge money in recent years to land the biggest prize in European football
- They signed Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe to lucrative deals in the past years
Can Paris Saint-Germain finally land the big one?
The French club booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League after beating Real Sociedad in the Round of 16.
Kylian Mbappe starred for PSG in the victory as he looks to deliver the championship that both Neymar and Lionel Messi failed to do so during their time in the French capital.
Sports Brief looks at how PSG fared in the Champions League during the Big 3 era.
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PSG's Champions League performances with Big 3
2017-18
PSG made a huge splash during the 2017 summer transfer window, signing both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Barcelona announced on August 3, 2017, that Neymar's legal representatives paid the club €222 million to activate the release clause of his contract.
The Brazilian star eventually joined PSG on a contract that would last until 2022.
PSG's Qatari owners weren't done with their massive spending, announcing later that month that they have signed Mbappe on loan from Monaco for the 2017-18 season with a mandatory purchase option of €180 million.
The transfer fee made Mbappe the most expensive teenager in world football.
The motivation behind those blockbuster signings was for PSG to finally win the Champions League.
Unfortunately for the fans and the owners, the Parisian giants failed in their bid to win the title that year. They suffered an early exit in the Round of 16, losing 5-2 on aggregate to Real Madrid.
Neymar scored six goals in the Champions League that season, while Mbappe found the back of the net four times.
2018-19
The Champions League title remained elusive for PSG in the 2018-19 season, with the French club losing once again in the Round of 16.
They looked to have sealed their passage to the quarter-finals after beating Manchester United 2-0 at Old Trafford in the first leg. They collapsed, however, in the second leg, losing 3-1 to the Red Devils at Parc des Princes.
The Round of 16 tie finished 3-3 on aggregate, with United advancing via the away goals rule.
Neymar finished the tournament with five goals, while Mbappe had four goals and five assists.
2019-20
Neymar and Mbappe came close to winning the Champions League title for PSG in 2020. They reached the finals after beating Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, and RB Leipzig in the knockout rounds.
Kingsley Coman broke their hearts in the final, though, scoring the game's lone goal in the 59th minute to give Bayern Munich the title.
Mbappe finished the tournament with five goals and six assists, while Neymar had three goals and four assists, per TransferMarkt.
2020-21
PSG failed to take home the Champions League title once again in the 2020-21 season, losing 4-1 on aggregate to Manchester City in the semi-finals.
City came from behind in the first leg, beating PSG 2-1 at Parc des Princes.
City recorded another win in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium, beating PSG 2-0 thanks to a double by Riyad Mahrez.
Mbappe scored eight Champions League goals that season, while Neymar finished the tournament with six goals and three assists.
2021-22
PSG made their biggest signing yet in June 2021, adding Lionel Messi to their already star-studded lineup.
With the former Barcelona star lining up alongside Mbappe and Neymar in attack, the PSG owners expected the club to finally win the Champions League.
That didn't transpire in Messi's first season with the club, as PSG once again crashed out in the Round of 16, losing 3-2 on aggregate to Real Madrid.
PSG headed to the Bernabeu with a slim 1-0 lead thanks to a late goal by Kylian Mbappe in the first leg. The Spanish giants came storming back in the second leg, recording a 3-1 win.
Mbappe gave PSG a 2-0 aggregate lead after he scored the opening goal in the 39th minute.
There's no quit with Real Madrid, however, as they launched a furious fightback in the second half. Karim Benzema led the way for Real, scoring a hat-trick in a 17-minute span just after the hour mark, per CNN.
Mbappe finished the tournament with six goals and six assists. Messi scored five goals in the Champions League that season, but none in the knockout round.
2022-23
PSG stars Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe played together in the Champions League for the final time in the 2022-23 season.
The Big 3 once again failed to live up to the hype in Europe, with Paris Saint-Germain crashing out in the Round of 16. They lost 3-0 on aggregate to Bayern Munich, with PSG losing both games in the first and second legs.
Messi decided to leave PSG after his two-year contract expired, with the free agent joining Inter Miami to play in Major League Soccer.
Neymar also left the club on August 15, 2023, with the Brazilian joining Saudi side Al-Hilal in a €90 million transfer.
2023-24
Mbappe also grabbed the headlines last month when he announced that he would not be re-signing with PSG once his contract expires at the end of the 2023-24 season.
His dream of winning the Champions League title with PSG remains alive, though, after a dazzling display in the Round of 16 against Real Sociedad.
PSG defeated the Spanish club 4-1 on aggregate, with Mbappe scoring three of their four goals.
Champions League quarter-finalists
Sports Brief recently reported on the Champions League quarter-finalists.
Three other teams have joined PSG in the last 8.
They are Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.
