PSG passage blocked by Dortmund
Friday, October 22, 2010
Article summary
Unbeaten in 11 European home games, Paris Saint-Germain FC know a win at Parc des Princes against Borussia Dortmund would seal their place in the UEFA Europa League round of 32.
Article top media content
Article body
A 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 3 means a home win against the same opponents in UEFA Europa League Group J would put Paris Saint-Germain FC in the round of 32 with two games to spare.
• Should PSG win, they will be sure of a top-two finish, with Dortmund unable to overtake them due to their head-to-head record.
Previous meetings
• The clubs met for the first time on Matchday 3.
• PSG's record from ten meetings with German opponents now reads W6 D1 L3 (W4 D0 L0 at home).
• Dortmund's record from 11 games against French sides now reads W4 D4 L3 (W1 D1 L3 in France).
Match background
• PSG are unbeaten in 11 UEFA club competition home games since a 4-2 defeat by Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup group stage on 23 November 2006.
• They have not conceded in their last six European home matches since a 2-2 draw with Real Racing Club in the 2008/09 group stage.
• Dortmund are unbeaten in five European away games (four wins and a draw) since they lost 4-0 at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard on their last trip to France, in the 2003/04 UEFA Cup second round on 27 November 2003.
Team facts
• Dortmund's Lucas Barrios has been ruled offside eight times in the first three matchdays, more than any other player in the group stage.
• Antoine Kombouaré was hired as PSG coach in May 2009, finishing his first full season by leading his charges to success in the 2009/10 French Cup. Initially a defender for FC Nantes, the New Caledonian-born player represented PSG from 1990 to 1995, winning a league title, two French Cups and a League Cup before moving on to FC Sion and later Aberdeen FC. PSG's reserve coach for a while, he took the reins at RC Strasbourg and then Valenciennes FC before returning to his old club.
• Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp started his career as a striker, converting to a defender midway through an 11-year playing spell at 1. FSV Mainz 05. Moving from the pitch to the bench in 2001, he led Mainz to the top division in Germany – and into European competition – for the first time, but stepped down at the end of the 2007/08 campaign to replace Thomas Doll as Dortmund coach.
• Dortmund's French striker Damien Le Tallec – the younger brother of AJ Auxerre forward Anthony Le Tallec – was a trainee at AC Le Havre and Stade Rennais FC, but moved to Germany in summer 2009.