European champion with OM in 1993, Marcel Desailly sees similarities between the Marseille team that won the C1 and this year’s PSG.
In recent years, Paris Saint-Germain and its management have loudly proclaimed that the club’s major objective was to win the Champions League. If the blow did not go far in 2020 with a final lost to Bayern Munich (0-1), the mute has now been put on Parisian ambitions. No big statement on this subject at the start of the season. But now Paris finds itself in the semi-finals after taking out FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals. Enough to make Marcel Desailly react.
Winner of the C1 in 1993 under the colors of Olympique de Marseille (1-0, against AC Milan), the former French defender was this Monday for Madrid, as part of the Laureus World Sports Awards 2024 , and he was asked to give his favorite for the Champions League title. If he did not only mention Paris Saint-Germain, he still spoke in a little more detail about the team coached by Luis Enrique.
PSG, Bayern or Real
And for him, there is doubt. Wouldn’t PSG be the same kind of team as OM more than thirty years ago? “ We love Real Madrid of course, but I believe in Bayern Munich, but maybe also Paris because they have had a lot of top level players in recent seasons. It’s a bit like my time with Marseille. We won the first French Champions League when no one expected us. » And Desailly highlights something particular that happened at OM the year of the victory, which he considers to be linked to what he was able to see on the PSG side.
“ There was a real drop in quality in terms of players and suddenly, we did it. Now for Paris, with the departures they have had, Neymar, Messi, they can surprise the world of football. » However, the 1998 world champion with the Blues returned to Real. “ Madrid has something special. You’ve all seen it before. No matter what happens during the match, it can be down by two goals, three goals, in the end, they are chasing their fifteenth Champions League. » Doubt is therefore allowed and the suspense remains total concerning the name of the future winner of the C1.
