A few hours before the meeting, the Parisian ultras had met not far from a Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Their evening had started with a march as noisy as it was inflamed.
To recall the importance of the meeting, one of the leaders of the group of supporters gives voice and recalls that the PSG plays a round of 16 of the Champions League once morest Real Madrid and that we will have to give more, sing stronger.
Shortly before 7 p.m., their march sets the tone for an evening when the Parisian ultras turned off the Madrid arena for an hour. Nearly 2,000 supporters enlivening a mute stadium weighed down by Kylian Mbappé’s opener.
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But the day before, a taxi driver yet a supporter of Atlético had warned us: “Paris is not going to qualify. There is a spirit that reigns here in Madrid and when the Champions League returns it resurfaces and can overthrow any team. »
“I immediately felt that we were going to relive a nightmare evening”
This spirit, this fury awoke shortly before the hour mark when Parisians like Verratti, Neymar and Messi gradually lost control of the game and their composure. And suddenly the Parisian chants disappeared, covered by a stadium which was ablaze following Benzema’s opener.
“I left the stadium when Benzema equalized, breathes Ilan. After Donnarumma’s blunder, I immediately felt that we were going to relive a nightmare evening and that the players would not be able to overcome it. »
2-1, then 3-1, Santiago Bernabeu exploded, plunging PSG into an evening of shame similar to those it experienced in 2017 and 2018 once morest Barcelona and Manchester United.
“Therefollowing, I wandered alone in the streets of Madrid, I changed my plane ticket to leave instead, then I cut my phone says Ibrahim, whose disappointment gave way to anger. I was stunned, empty, I didn’t want to talk anymore, think regarding anything. »
About fifteen minutes from the stadium, five supporters have found refuge in a neighborhood bar. Outside, Madrid fans replay the match with a smile on their face while inside, these Parisians eat their fries with a crestfallen expression, just amused by a Brazilian as drunk with joy as Neymar was angry following the match.
“Sunday will be without me”
“Frankly, we do not understand what happened tonight (Wednesday). We try to comfort each other as best we can but it’s still the third time in five years that we’ve been eliminated in this way. And the final and semi-final are shams. Change is needed, and fast.” ton Christophe.
For many of the supporters we met the night was short. KO standing, amorphous, tired by a trip rich in emotions, they are numerous but silent on the plane that takes us back to Paris. One of them tells us: “Next season, I will distance myself from PSG for the Champions League. I will come to the Park for the championship and once more. »
In the boarding corridor, we then question some supporters to find out if they have planned to react on Sunday during the reception of Bordeaux. “I hope that there will be something that will be put in place, admits Christophe. But Sunday will be without me. »
