Paris-SG eliminated in Kiel in the quarter-finals of the Champions League
Paris-SG will not see the Final Four of the Champions League this season. The French champion fell in the quarter-finals on Thursday in the Kiel cauldron (33-32, 30-30 in the first leg). On June 18 and 19, the German giant will try to win its fifth crown (after 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2020) in a royal plateau against Veszprem, Kielce and FC Barcelona, defending champion.
It’s a terrible setback for Paris, absent from the semi-finals for only the second time in the last seven seasons (after 2019). The ogre of the French Championship will have to wait at least another year for the European consecration he has been dreaming of for a decade. All the more difficult to take in that he will see several emblematic executives from this summer, in particular Mikkel Hansen, Nedim Remili and Vincent Gérard.
Gérard and Remili were nevertheless stratospheric
PSG flew from the start of the match (1-4, 6th) thanks to a huge defense which notably stifled the Norwegian star Sander Sagosen (3/8 shooting only). Vincent Gérard was royal in front of his cage (15 saves in total, 1 goal scored in an empty cage) and Nedim Remili stratospheric in attack (8 goals and a string of assists).
Despite an incredible series of temporary exclusions, which left them for a moment with only three outfield players instead of six on the floor, the men of the capital led throughout the first period (17-19 at the break ).
After the break, however, PSG no longer found the opening in attack, stifled by the German defensive aggressiveness. Led by Harald Reinkind (6 goals), Kiel took the opportunity to come back to score and overtake him (24-21, 41st). The partners of the amazing Nikola Karabatic (5 goals) however opposed and Luc Steins, found after forty painful minutes, snatched the equalizer (31-31, 57th).
But the Landin brothers played the executioners in the last moments. After a successful penalty by Magnus the left winger, Niklas the goalkeeper, yet not in a great night (7 saves), signed a stop worthy of the double best player in the world he is against Nedim Remili (59th). And Steffen Weinhold gave the Germans a two-step lead (33-31, 59th).
Another year of frustration
Luka Karabatic reduced the score (33-32, 60th) and Paris recovered a last ball of hope a few seconds from time. But Luc Steins’ forced shot was easily caught by Niklas Landin. The 10,000 spectators at the Wunderino Arena were able to let their long-suppressed joy burst forth.
For PSG, despite the title of champion of France brilliantly won ten days ago and the final of the Coupe de France to be played on June 11 against Nantes, it will be another year of frustration.