Adventures in Football #105: Parc des Princes (PSG)  

 

May 11, 2024 

 

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN F vs. PARIS FC F (Division One Women Play Off) 

 

My initial trip to Paris included a potential trip to the Parc des Princes, which was dashed when I found out the exorbitant rate PSG charged for tickets to their matches. I was offered a ticket at around 160 Euro for the Sunday night game with Toulouse. Having turned my nose up at that, I simply went to watch Paris FC on the Friday night instead, which ended up being a fantastic experience. Just after I’d booked that, Mike pointed out this women’s game that was taking place on the Saturday night at Parc des Princes. A chance to get in the ground, without the enormous entrance fee. The women’s game had a ticket price of 30 Euro, which is far more reasonable.  

Just to prove we did actually go to France, and I’m not making all of this up, here’s a picture of us by this interesting archway. What could it mean? Answers in the comments, please.  

Also saw this large, illuminated tower. Bit of an eyesore. I’ve given it the thumbs up to be polite to the locals. 

All kidding aside, look at this absolute banger I took from a spot that didn’t have any posers in posh frocks hanging around. Mainly because it was only a good photo without someone standing in front of it. I did touch on this during the Paris FC write up, but I had a great time in Paris. It’s a wonderful city and I’m sad it’s been there this whole time and I’ve basically been ignoring it. But then, that’s true of lots of places. I’m trying to broaden my horizons.  

Speaking of which, here is the Parc des Princes. It doesn’t look like much from the outside. Especially standing next to the rugby stadium next door; the Stade Jean-Bouin, which looks way cooler.  

Inside it’s an uneventful trek to our seats. We have padded seats again. Again, only because I did the “best available” thing on the seat selection. All the other rows around us are not padded. First order of business is booting one of the locals out of Maria’s seat. I can only assume he was also a tourist, as he didn’t understand how seat numbers work.  

They do something cool for women’s games in the Parc des Princes. Like with most big stadiums, the fans are packed onto the side opposite the TV cameras but unlike most grounds, they let all the ultras in behind the goal. That’s them over yonder. Sitting under “fiers de nos coleurs”, or “proud of our colours”. Kick off is 9pm and it’s still very warm. Clear blue skies overhead. They try and put on a pre-match light show and it’s not dark enough to do that.  

Normally, I would expect seats at this height and distance from the pitch to be elite. However, PSG has this weird buffer between crowd and pitch. Like a running track only pointless. It serves to distance us all from the game, as Paris FC’s running track did yesterday. Only yesterday I had the ultras in my section, and it felt like I was in the atmosphere. Today, the ultras feel a long, long way away. So does the pitch. Even though it’s quite close, the barriers feel like an intrusion.  

Over in the corner are the yobs from Paris FC. I fondly glance over at the noisy buggers throughout the game. It lacks the vocal and visual flair of their home fans, and this is definitely a pyro-free zone. No pyro, no party. I don’t see any Paris FC berets tonight.  

The game kicks off and I get immediately distracted by Mbappe in front. It’s a France shirt, so they can still wear it but he’s off lads. Meanwhile, “Chewie” is a player I’m less familiar with. Chewie was up and down all night, leading the cheers in our section*. The opening half an hour is a bizarre experience as PSG attack at will and miss chance, after chance, after chance. They do everything but score. Then their keeper mis-controls a pass back and Clara Matteo sneaks in to make it 0-1. The crowd goes a bit quiet.  

 

*I was particularly impressed when the ultras do a call and recall bit with the fans on the side. When the words are sung back, the ultras applaud. It was a cracking experience.  

 

Was I secretly cheering that one, internally? Oh, maybe a little. As the half progresses an old geezer on our row starts to get testy. Wayward passes start to irk him too much. He’s a frail old fella but he is wiry, and he’s seen enough of this bullshit! When HT arrives PSG have had 13 shots and 68% possession. They should be out of sight. It’s 0-1. The old fella shuffles past me and returns with a whopping big bag of popcorn. The number of punters chowing down on popcorn at the football was quite weird.  

PSG come out firing in the second half. Geyoro heads in and it’s 1-1. The crowd goes wild and after a few minutes of celebrations people get confused because it appears to have been given but then it’s a goal kick? It’s only bloody VAR. Goal chalked off for offside. 0-1. Wasn’t even announced. PSG are the better team by some distance now. Attack after attack pushes Paris FC back. In the midst of this, PSG get a penalty and Geyoro rolls it in. 52’ played and now it’s 1-1. Maria returns from her HT jaunt, having missed a VAR disallowed goal and a penalty. She was getting water. It was FIVE EUROS. Holy shit, PSG. We know you need to balance the books a bit but fuck me.  

The only good thing is it came in this commemorative glass, so we can forever remember Kylian Mbappe bottling the Champions League in his final season at PSG. I’m sure he’ll win something when he goes to a good club. 55’ played and Corboz strikes for Paris FC, it’s 1-2. All the fans are fired up. The game has gone nuts in 10’ at the start of the second half. It was already a good game, but it’s gone mad.  

One of PSG’s defenders loses her sleeve. I’m fairly sure you can’t play with part of your shirt missing. Rules are lax around these parts. PSG continue to press forward. More great chances. One of which is an overhead kick, which, had it gone in, would have taken the roof off. 70’ played and a cross goes straight in for PSG. 2-2. They’ve deserved it.  

Wait, is that VAR?  

 

Paris FC get this incredible late counter where they have a 2 on 1 but blow it. Down the other end PSG look to have scored but the Paris FC keeper makes an unreal save, pawing the ball away from the goal line. Everyone was celebrating like it was in. No dice. It’s 11pm. The game is over but it’s a play off so we must have a winner. I’m salivating at the prospect of insanely late extra time but sadly it goes directly to penalties. There’s no real drama here. PSG convert every spot kick including a PANENKA for #2. Paris FC just don’t have the same nerve.  

What a tremendous game though. Exciting at both ends. Either team could have won it in the last 30 seconds. It’s everything you would want from a match.  

 

FINAL SCORE: PSG 2 PARIS 2 (5-4 ON PENS) 

 

Ok, before we leave Paris, let’s give these some scores.  

 

ATMOSPHERE: 

Credit where it’s due, I was not expecting PSG’s ultras to turn up in force with their game faces on and their game voices blaring. The loudest crowd I’ve ever heard for a women’s game at any level. ****½ 

 

COST: 

I know I only paid 30 Euros here but the fiver for water irked me. Also, the same club wanting me to pay an enormous sum to watch the men’s team. 30 Euros is still good for getting into the stadium but there’s no escaping the cash grab vibes that PSG give off. *** 

 

QUALITY: 

I have seen some fantastic matches this season (Arbroath’s comeback, the Arlon-Libramont debacle) and this was arguably better than anything else. Brilliant game, thrills galore. The second half was unbelievable. ****½ 

 

EASE OF ACCESS: 

As with Paris FC, it’s fairly central and about 30 minutes from the Eiffel Tower on the Metro. I was impressed at how central Paris was so easy to navigate. **** 

 

MISC: 

Despite how outstanding I’ve made this whole experience feel…Parc des Princes is not my kind of stadium. At all. That random huge space at pitch side creates a needless barrier between the pitch and the fans. It’s like they want that running track vibe without a running track? Also, the queues on the concourse were horrendous and the water was fucking five Euros. All this takes the edge of what had been a fantastic game with wonderful atmosphere. There’s also an obsession with branding over club history. Compare this to a good club with history like Man Utd or Arsenal (or Schalke) and there’s really no comparison at all. *½ 

 

OVERALL: 17.5 

This is still an excellent score. It ranks in the ‘gold’ section of my tables, and it nailed all the hard categories like atmosphere and quality. There’s just a lack of finish here that spoils it. Would it be better with a full stadium? I don’t think it would. If anything, putting more people in the building would make it worse and leaving the area more annoying. Ultimately, I had a great time over two nights of watching football in Paris though.  

 

If you told me I’d get to go to games back-to-back in Paris back in 2020, when I started dreaming this groundhopping dream, I would have called you crazy. Only four years ago, sat at home during Covid, dreaming of travelling. Now I get to look back on a season where I’ve been to Paris, Arbroath, Crewe and Niederkorn and enjoyed them all. I saw the final game at Gornal Athletic’s ground with my brother. I got to go to Luxembourg and watched a nine-goal thriller in provincial Belgium. I got to sit with all the Northern lads at Stockport. With my friend STRIGGA singing the Schalke hymn. I’ve been to Hibs. I saw Harry Kane’s last game for Tottenham. I watched a game at Inkberrow where the crowd was so low, I could count the attendance. I got a freebie at FC Koln II where Mike and I drank a kolsch and ate crisps and had a nap at half time. I went to Elland Road. To Stamford Bridge. Looking back on this season, it’s been a wild ride.

 

Imagine what I’ll be talking about in May 2025?