Question of experience. This is also the Champions League, even more so in a new edition that is increasingly rich in matches and emotions. Among the fairytales – for example, Bologna returning to play in the top cup 60 years after their last appearance – there’s also the story of Girona, a team that boasts a total of 65 appearances in the Champions League, adding up all the starting eleven fielded in Paris. The same number as their opponent Marco Asensio, alone.
David against Goliath
It should be said that the curious statistic did not bring particular luck to the Spaniard, who was substituted due to injury before the end of the first half. The statistic, however, is striking: in Psg-Girona, Asensio reached 65 appearances in the cup, the same number as the starting eleven of his opponents combined. And, as a side note, he wasn’t even the player from Paris with the most appearances in the cup (Marquinhos tops the chart with 92). Last year, Michel’s team was the true revelation of La Liga, with a dream only briefly touched of creating an underdog fairytale in the style of Leicester 2016. The first legendary qualification for the Champions League in their history still means a lot, and it’s okay if the experience is still to be gained.