Paris Saint-Germain vs Girona facts

Paris Saint-Germain's latest attempt to claim a first European Cup kicks off against UEFA Champions League debutants Girona at the Parc des Princes.

While the French side, runners-up in 2019/20, are making their 13th successive appearance in the competition – and have reached the round of 16 or better every season from 2012/13 onwards – Girona are not only playing their first Champions League game but their first-ever European fixture.

Form guide

Paris

Record vs Spanish clubs: W17 D9 L14 F67 A62
Home record vs Spanish clubs: W10 D6 L4

Paris faced Spanish opponents in both the round of 16 and the quarter-finals of last season's Champions League. Second-half goals from Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola earned a 2-0 home win against Real Sociedad in the round of 16 first leg, Mbappé subsequently scoring in either half to secure a 2-1 victory in Spain.

Luis Enrique's side then lost 2-3 at home to Barcelona in the quarter-final first leg but came from behind to progress thanks to a 4-1 victory in Spain with goals from Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha and two more from Mbappé.

Despite wins in four of their last six matches, Paris have managed only seven victories in their last 19 against Spanish clubs, home and away (D3 L9).

Paris have also lost three of their last nine games against Liga clubs at the Parc des Princes (W4 D2).

This is Paris's 17th campaign in the Champions League proper, setting a new French record; they had previously been level with Lyon. They have featured every season since 2012/13, reaching the knockout stages in all 12 of those most recent campaigns.

Runners-up to Bayern München in the 2020 final, Les Parisiens were second in their section behind Borussia Dortmund last season, but ahead of AC Milan and Newcastle. They beat Spanish pair Real Sociedad (4-1 aggregate) and Barcelona (6-4 aggregate) in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively, but came up short against Dortmund again in the last four, losing 1-0 in both Germany and at the Parc des Princes.

The French side have lost in the last 16 in five of their last eight Champions League campaigns.

The Parisians have won 14 of their last 33 European matches (D7 L12).

The second-leg defeat by Dortmund in last season's semi -finals was only Paris's ninth loss in their last 75 European home games (W47 D19), although seven of those defeats have come in their last 25 matches at the Parc des Princes.

Paris claimed their 12th French title, and tenth in the last 12 seasons, in 2023/24, finishing nine points ahead of Monaco at the top of the Ligue 1 table. Luis Enrique's side also beat Lyon 2-1 in the Coupe de France final to win the trophy for the 15th time and complete Paris's fifth domestic double.

Girona

Girona are the 14th Spanish side to feature in the Champions League proper – one short of Germany's competition record.

Indeed, this is the first time Girona have taken part in UEFA competition. Leipzig, in 2017, are the only previous club to have made their European debut in the Champions League proper, an honour Girona will share with Brest this season.

Girona are one of five clubs to be making their Champions League debuts in 2024/25, along with Aston Villa, Bologna, Brest and Slovan Bratislava.

Míchel guided Girona to third place in last season's La Liga table on 81 points, 14 behind champions Real Madrid and only four adrift of runners-up Barcelona. Atlético de Madrid were fourth, five points behind Girona.

That was also Los Blanquivermells' highest league placing in what was only their fourth season in the Spanish top flight; they had previously finished tenth in both 2017/18 and 2022/23 and 18th in 2018/19, when they were relegated.

Links and trivia

Oriol Romeu made 45 appearances for Barcelona's B team, then coached by Enrique, between 2008 and 2011.

Have played together:
Lucas Hernandez & Daley Blind (Bayern München 2023)

Has played in France:
Pau López (Marseille 2021–24)

Have played in Spain:
Marco Asensio (Mallorca 2014–16, Espanyol 2015/16 loan, Real Madrid 2016–23)
Lee Kang-in (Valencia 2019–21, Mallorca 2021–23)
Lucas Hernandez (Atlético de Madrid 2015–20)
Fabián Ruiz (Real Betis 2014–18, Elche 2016/17 loan)
Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid 2017/18)
Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona 2017–23)

International team-mates:
Marco Asensio, Fabián Ruiz & Miguel Gutiérrez, Oriol Romeu (Spain)

Asensio and Bryan Gil were both in the Spain squad for the 2020 Olympic Games.

On 9 August, Abel Ruiz captained Spain to a 5-3 extra-time victory against France in the Olympic Games gold medal match at Paris's Parc des Princes. Arnau Tenas was in goal for the victors with Désiré Doué a second-half France substitute.

Latest news

Paris

Paris have played four Ligue 1 matches this season and won them all, the only team with a perfect record in the French top flight. They have scored 16 goals and conceded three.

The French champions had to come from behind at home to Brest on Saturday, an Ousmane Dembélé strike in each half either side of Fabián Ruiz's first league goal since 9 October 2023 securing a 3-1 win.

Les Parisiens won 4-1 at Le Havre and 6-0 against Montpellier before a 3-1 victory at LOSC Lille on 1 September.

Paris have lost only one Ligue 1 game in 2024 – 1-3 at home to Toulouse on 12 May – winning 14 and drawing six.

On 16 August at Le Havre, Ibrahim Mbaye became the youngest Paris player to start a game, aged 16 years 225 days.

Gonçalo Ramos suffered an ankle injury in the same match and is expected to be out until November.

Gianluigi Donnarumma has been ruled out of the Girona game having felt muscle discomfort in his right thigh against Brest.

Vitinha (ankle) and Warren Zaïre-Emery (calf) both missed the weekend win.

Presnel Kimpembe (out since 26 February 2023, ruptured Achilles) and Lucas Hernandez (1 May, cruciate ligament) are long-term absentees.

Bradley Barcola scored France's goal after only 12 seconds in a 1-3 defeat against Italy in the UEFA Nations League at Parc des Princes on 6 September. Gianluigi Donnarumma was in goal for the visitors.

Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembélé were on the scoresheet when Les Bleus defeated Belgium 2-0 in Lyon three days later.

Fabián Ruiz scored twice as Spain won 4-1 in Switzerland on 8 September.

Girona

On Sunday Girona went down 1-4 at home to Barcelona, already their second Liga loss of the season. They did not lose for a second time in the 2023/24 campaign until 10 February.

Girona had kicked off La Liga with two wins, a draw and a 3-0 defeat at Atlético de Madrid on 25 August.

Cristhian Stuani scored Girona's final goal in a 4-0 win at home to Osasuna on 29 August; the Uruguayan has now found the net in the league for 20 successive seasons and was also on target on Sunday.

Abel Ruiz had scored in Girona's previous two La Liga games, wins against Osasuna and Sevilla (2-0).

Gabriel Misehouy marked his club debut with the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Real Betis on the first day of La Liga.

Yangel Herrera was taken off at half-time at Sevilla and missed international duty with Venezuela due to a strain in his left abductor muscle. He was also absent against Barcelona.

Jastin García injured his shoulder on 31 July in a pre-season friendly against Toulouse and has not played since.

Girona's summer departures Savinho, now at Manchester City, and Artem Dovbyk (Roma) have been nominated for the Kopa Trophy and Men's Ballon d'Or respectively.

Girona are on the five-strong shortlist for Men's Club of the Season, which will be announced at the Ballon d'Or gala on 28 October.