Real Madrid vs PSG: Memorable Matches & Champions League Classics

When the royalty of Real Madrid faces the wealth of PSG, their clashes create a stunning narrative etched forever in the history of this fixture. Los Blancos have found the upper hand in most meetings, but they had to hit their full potential each time to evade the ruthless challenge of the Parisians. The matchup has showcased top teams colliding due to Real's legacy of superstars and PSG's financial power to acquire anyone they desire. The affair has been hardly one-sided and has produced tactical battles, but most importantly, stunning goals. There have been 12 competitive meetings between the sides and unsurprisingly, the last eight of them have taken place in the Champions League. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 encounter between these two became their first competitive meeting outside of Europe.            

Here are some of the memorable meetings between Real Madrid and PSG:  

Real Madrid 3-1 PSG: Ronaldo dampens Neymar's show (Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg, 2017/18)

There was a huge expectation on Paris Saint-Germain after a historical summer window ahead of the 2017-18 season saw them unveil the most expensive transfer in football history in Brazilian superstar Neymar, paying a staggering 222 million release clause to Barcelona and then an 18-year-old prodigy, Kylian Mbappé. The signings showed an intent that the Parisians finally want to accomplish their dream of winning the Champions League and they got the chance to prove a statement against the tournament’s royalty, Real Madrid, in the Round of 16 stage. At that time, Los Blancos were the reigning champions of the competition, having secured their 11th title in the first season under club legend Zinedine Zidane. They were striving for further success during one of the most prosperous periods in the club's history. Although the first leg was held at Santiago Bernabeu, PSG appeared more enthusiastic about the match, showcasing their spirit against the record winners. 

They seemed to be creating their own legacy when Adrien Rabiot stormed his side into the lead past the hour mark to silence the home crowd. However, it was Real Madrid that were charged up, rather than the visitors, by going behind as they started testing Alphonso Areola before winning a penalty on the stroke of half-time. Cristiano Ronaldo, known as Mr. Champions League, took charge of the match by converting a penalty kick to equalise the score. He then scored again within the last 10 minutes, putting his team ahead. Marcelo added another goal to secure an impressive 3-1 comeback victory with Lucas Vazquez creating one of the most memorable Champions League super-sub moments, providing the assists for the goals in a night that was supposed to be Neymar's. Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory in the reverse leg, allowing them to advance further in the competition, which they ultimately won again. Meanwhile, PSG regretted yet another missed opportunity to claim the title in Europe.   

PSG 3-0 Real Madrid - Sweet revenge (Champions League Group Stage, 2019-20)

The two teams meet again a season later in the group stages of the Champions League, with the dynamics shifting a bit. After completing a memorable three-peat in the competition, Real Madrid entered into a transition period with their talisman for a generation, Ronaldo, who ended his nine-year reign at the club, while their star manager, Zidane, also stepped down from the managerial role. On the other hand, PSG were building up strength as they made a series of signings in the summer window, but it is their old guard that made a difference in the absence of Neymar and Mbappé. This was the opening game of the 2019-20 Champions League season and PSG ensured they lived up to expectations with an outstanding performance. Argentinian star and former Madrista Angel Di Maria shone in the contest with a first-half brace, beating Thibaut Courtois at the near post for the opener before slamming the second past the half-hour mark, with Thomas Meunier rounding off the scoring in stoppage time. A revenge well taken by the Parisians, who compounded more misery on Los Blancos that will daunt them further into the contest.                  

Real Madrid 2-2 PSG - Late rescue (Champions League Group Stage, 2019-20)

PSG had a forgettable outing in the Santiago Bernabeu last time, so they were desperate to make an impact here, knowing that a point would be enough to secure the top spot in their group. However, they were pegged back by Real Madrid, who were on a mission to change their poor season with a 17th-minute strike from Karim Benzema, who latched onto a strike from Isco that hit the post. The Ligue 1 giants believed they had returned to the game when Courtois tripped Mauro Icardi inside the box, resulting in his sending-off. However, the decision was overturned by VAR due to a foul on Marcelo in the build-up. Keylor Navas, now playing against Madrid, made a string of important saves, but his ex-club’s pressure was relentless as they added another goal, scored by Benzema again in the 79th minute, to the sheer joy of the home crowd. The goal seemed to wrap up the game and the top spot for the Los Blancos, but then the visitors decided to turn the game around. PSG had never been down mentally as they kept pushing in the dying embers of the game, with Mbappé pulling a goal back minutes after the home side got their second. Pablo Sarabia went on to rescue a point with an emphatic equaliser soon after to stun the Spanish giants and secure a place in the knockout as group winners. 

PSG 1-0 Real Madrid - Courtois keeps Madrid in the tie (Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg, 2021-22)

PSG and Real Madrid faced the same scenario as a few seasons ago, with the Parisians having their new superstar to show in the form of Lionel Messi, Los Blancos’s arch-nemesis during his time at Barcelona, forming an eye-catching trio with former clubmate Neymar and Mbappé. On the other hand, the record winners were relishing the second stint of their hero coach Carlo Ancelotti, the architect behind their La Decima success and future Champions League honours. The meeting was again a Round of 16 clash in the 2021-22, so the excitement was rife. PSG knew they had to finish the tie in the first leg, hosted in their home, as they were aware of the force Real are at the Bernabeu. So the host threw everything at the opposition's net, but to their despair, Courtois was equal to the task, especially from two strikes from Mbappé. The crucial moment of the match came on the hour mark when the Belgian goalkeeper expertly denied Messi from the spot. The Argentinian superstar who scored six out of six pens in El Clásico failed to convert here. However, PSG’s relentless pressure paid off with Courtois finally beaten in stoppage time, with the ever-threatening Mbappé skipping challenges to slot home and take a 1-0 advantage to the second leg.

Real Madrid 3-1 PSG - Benzema stunner (Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg, 2021-22)

Real Madrid were pleased to take only a one-goal deficit back home, where they were capable of overturning the tie. Still, the opposition had a lead and much less pressure riding on their shoulders, which is a dangerous place to be in if the side is Paris Saint-Germain. Ancelotti's side was reminded of it when, from a counter, Neymar found Mbappé with a defence-splitting pass, who raced on to beat Courtois at his near post to put PSG 2-0 up on aggregate. The visitors were dreaming big at that time of conquering the Spanish capital at last and surely making their progress to the quarterfinals, right? Wrong. If one thing that the Champions League has taught is that you cannot count the record winners out in any circumstances and it was proven again in a dramatic second half. Initiating a press, Benzema forced an error from Gianluigi Donnarumma, who could argue that he was fouled, misplacing his pass to Vinicius Jr, who fed the Frenchman to half the deficit of the tie in the 61st minute. Before PSG could regather themselves, the former Lyon striker came to haunt his ex-rivals again, beating the offside trap and equalising the score on aggregate. The visitors were shell-shocked as they again found themselves staring at another Round of 16 heartbreak. Their worst fear was confirmed only two minutes later when Vinicius’s teasing run opened up PSG’s defence and even though Marquinhos blocked the Brazilian’s path, his unconvincing clearance fell to Benzema coming off the blind end to finish it first time to complete his hat-trick and make a sensational turnaround.

PSG also won their first Champions League title in the first season after Kylian Mbappe departed the club to join Los Blancos. The Frenchman could not achieve any silverware in his debut season with his new club despite having one of his best individual campaigns so he was desperate to prove that he made the right move regardless by beating his ex-club here. Instead, he saw the Spanish giants throw away the game to Luis Enrique's side who capitalise on two huge errors from Madrid centre-backs, Raul Asencio and Antonio Rudiger to go 2-0 up with just 10 minutes played. 

The MetLife Stadium with understandably more supporters for the five time record champions of the Club World Cup was quietened further when Fabian Ruiz scored a third in the 24th minute and his second after scoring the opener with Ousmane Dembele doubling the lead. Madrid's desperate attempt to turn things around in the second-half bore no fruit as they already knew their fate which was sealed by Goncalo Ramos in the 87th minute to help his side reach the 2025 Club World Cup final.