When Barcelona staged an incredible comeback against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League on March 8, 2017, it was the talk of the football world. The match ended with a scoreline of 6-1 in favor of Barcelona, overturning a 4-0 deficit from the first leg. But who was the coach at the helm of PSG during that astonishing night?
The Man in Charge
The man leading PSG from the dugout that fateful evening was Unai Emery. Emery, a highly respected Spanish coach, took charge of PSG in June 2016 after successful spells at Sevilla and Valencia. He was tasked with bringing European success to Paris and guiding them to their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.
A Strong Start
During his tenure at PSG, Emery achieved domestic success by winning multiple Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups. His team boasted some of the world’s finest players, including Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr., Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, and French wonderkid Kylian Mbappe.
Under Emery’s guidance, PSG performed exceptionally well in the group stage of the 2016/2017 Champions League campaign. They finished as winners of Group A, ahead of Arsenal and FC Basel.
The First Leg
On February 14, 2017, PSG faced Barcelona at Parc des Princes for the first leg of their round-of-16 tie. Unai Emery’s team dominated proceedings and emerged victorious with an emphatic 4-0 win. It seemed like they had one foot firmly in the quarter-finals.
The Historic Second Leg
However, when Barcelona traveled to Camp Nou for the second leg on March 8, 2017, the football world witnessed one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history.
Luis Enrique’s Barcelona side came out firing and quickly scored three goals in the first half, courtesy of Luis Suarez, Layvin Kurzawa’s own goal, and Lionel Messi. Edinson Cavani temporarily halted Barcelona’s momentum with a crucial away goal for PSG in the 62nd minute.
As time ticked away, it seemed like PSG had done enough to secure their place in the quarter-finals. But in the final few minutes, Barcelona produced an incredible display of attacking football.
- Sergi Roberto scored a dramatic winner in the 95th minute to complete Barcelona’s comeback.
- The final scoreline read 6-1 in favor of Barcelona, with Neymar Jr. playing a pivotal role by assisting Sergi Roberto’s goal and scoring two himself.
The Aftermath
The defeat was a huge blow for Unai Emery and PSG. They were left stunned by Barcelona’s remarkable turnaround and crashed out of the competition on aggregate.
Emery would go on to coach other teams after leaving PSG at the end of the 2017/2018 season. He had subsequent spells at Arsenal and Villarreal before returning to manage his former club Sevilla.
Although Unai Emery couldn’t lead PSG to Champions League glory during his tenure, his time with the club will always be remembered for that unforgettable night at Camp Nou when Barcelona completed their historic comeback.
In Conclusion
The coach of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) when they famously lost 6-1 to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League was Unai Emery. Despite leading PSG through successful domestic campaigns, Emery’s tenure will forever be marked by the astonishing comeback orchestrated by Barcelona in the second leg of their round-of-16 tie. The match will go down in history as one of the most memorable comebacks in Champions League history.