40 years on, PSG’s first European Cup tie played in a deserted Parc after Rue de Rennes attack | OneFootball

On 17 September 1986, Paris Saint-Germain contested the first European Cup match in their history in a deserted Parc des Princes.

Gérard Houllier had imagined a raucous, full Parc and a celebratory baptism. According to L'Équipe, Paris was in no mood to celebrate after the Rue de Rennes bombing, and the stands stayed bare. France was entangled in the war in Lebanon, and the Iran-Iraq conflict had spilled into the capital.

Vahid Halilhodzic scored PSG’s first goal against Vitkovice that night. The Czechoslovak visitors held them to a 2-2 draw, and PSG were eliminated in the return leg.

With an unbalanced and disunited team, the Parisians could not impose themselves on their debut.

The club’s European bow was shaped as much by the city’s tension as by footballing matters.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”