PSG were knocked out of the Champions League in a spectacular manner in the last-16 round by Real Madrid, with important figures in Marseille appearing to take great pleasure in the downfall of old foes.
The Ligue 1 powers at Parc des Princes have spent extensively in their chase of an elusive trophy, signing Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi on hefty contracts.
However, continental success remains elusive, with Marseille — the only French team to have won the European Cup in 1993 – remaining the only French team to have done so.
PSG appeared to be easing their way into the Champions League quarter-finals this season when Kylian Mbappe scored the opening goal at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, putting them two goals ahead on aggregate.
Karim Benzema, fellow France international, had the final say, scoring a magnificent hat-trick in the second half to ensure the Blancos’ spot in the last eight.
As the final whistle blew in the Spanish capital, wild celebrations erupted among home players and fans, Marseille’s major, Benoit Payan, posted a single star emoji on Twitter, which is thought to be an homage to a lone French success in Europe.
See the tweet below:
Payan wasn’t the only renowned figure with deep ties to Marseille who took to social media to express himself.
“Forever the first and only OM,” wrote former OM striker Brandao, who played 116 games for the club between 2008 and 2012.
“When Marseille suffers, Paris will be by her side,” Emmanuel Gregoire, the deputy Mairie of Paris, tweeted in response. Because Marseille is a lovely city that needs to be respected. That’s what sportsmanship is all about.”
That appears to have escaped the notice of people in the south of France, who appear to take great joy in watching PSG exit the Champions League early yet again.
In 2020, an expensively formed squad made it to the final, only to lose to Bayern Munich, and they have failed to go past the last-16 in four of the last six seasons.
In case you missed the game, watch the PSG v Real Madrid Champions League highlights below.
