Didier Ollé-Nicolle announced “a big party” on Friday at a press conference. It started 2h30 before kick-off, near the Parc des Princes with the arrival of the procession of Parisian ultras, equipped with flags, scarves, jerseys and firecrackers of all kinds, to encourage the women of PSG to snatch their qualification in the Champions League final on May 21 in Turin. In the first leg, the Ile-de-France lost 3-2 at Groupama Stadium. Forced to win, and finally beaten 2-1, they were able to count on the support of more than 43,000 spectators this Saturday evening. A record for the capital club.
“We want players who fight for the club”
Benoît, a subscriber for 30 years and a member of the Auteuil bend, did not want to miss this evening: “The girls represent the values, he says. When there was the Leproux plan, we turned to them and handball. The more the years pass, the more they improve. Despite what is happening with the management, and in their team this season, they manage to have results. We, today what we want is players who fight for the club, no matter if they lose, and as long as the girls continue like this, we will support them. There is no reason for that to change. This (Saturday evening), it will be a European Cup match like in 93 against Real Madrid. All behind the girls, all behind the club! »
Upon their arrival at the Parc des Princes, the members of the Collectif Ultras Paris laid a wreath of flowers in tribute to James Rophe, a figure of Parisian supporters who died on April 29, 2020. They made themselves heard, in the stands, when the Lyon goalkeepers are entered the field, at 8:08 p.m., led by the former Parisian Christiane Endler, who was copiously whistled. A few minutes later came the turn of the PSG players who obviously had the right to the warmest encouragement.
A banner was unfurled before kick-off, which read: “Take these colors to Turin. Proud of our colors and proud of our players. The smoke bombs were out. The watchword this Saturday evening for the Ultras: all united, behind the women, who experienced another eventful week with the dismissal for six days of Kheira Hamraoui.
While the uproar does not run out of steam against management, this match served as a truce. To the delight of the other supporters who came to attend the meeting. Like Romain, a big fan of PSG: “We always come as a family for PSG-Lyon, whether for girls or boys, he says. The atmosphere will be huge tonight, the Lyonnaises will be under pressure, ”predicted this father. His companion Angélique, supporter of Lyon, had however warned: “In April 2019, I was in Lyon, we were 25,000 and it was rather the Parisians who had the pressure. Indeed, PSG had swum in the middle of a nightmare and lost 5-0. “But when the Ultras are there, they sing, there is no comparison, continues Romain. The girls are going to wet the jersey! »
The ultras quickly made the Park rise in temperature. The Parisiennes, in tune, entered the match well but were trapped on Ada Hegerberg’s first opportunity (0-1, 14th). A hard blow which was not going to attenuate the fervor of the supporters, who will cheer the goalkeeper Votikova, author of a masterful intervention in the 25th minute in front of Cascarino before being replaced due to injury at half-time.
Faced with the envy and self-sacrifice of their players, the support of the ultras will experience no air pockets throughout the evening despite the headwinds. We will see them explode with joy on the second refused to Hegerberg after the intervention of the VAR (57th). Then came the earthquake, the scenes of jubilation, when Marie Katoto equalized and restored hope of qualification (1-1, 62nd). It was the atmosphere of the great European evenings, the one that had been so lacking in recent weeks in the capital. But on arrival, it is Lyon thanks to another goal signed Renard (1-2, 83rd) which sets sail for the final, against Barcelona, next month.