Legends
Real Madrid vs Ligue 1: A History
1992/93 UEFA Cup Quarterfinals: Real Madrid 4-5 Paris Saint-Germain
Pre QSI, pre-Galacticos, this was a thrilling tie and the first time in more than thirty years Real Madrid had faced French opposition. Still led by several members of the famed "Quinta del Buitre" attacking line, La Real took the first leg 3-1, with Michel, Emilio Butragueño and Iván Zamorano all on the scoresheet at home. The second leg at the Parc des Princes quickly became the stuff of legend, though, as goals from David Ginola, George Weah, Valdo and (in the fourth minute of added time) Antoine Kombouaré saw the hosts overcome their opponents.
1993/94 UEFA Cupwinners Cup quaterfinals: Real Madrid 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain
The two sides met again the following season in the now-defunct Cupwinners Cup, with PSG again prevailing, although not without some jangling nerves. After a famous 1-0 win at the Bernabeu, with Weah scoring the only goal, in the second leg Butragueño scored on the half hour to level the tie on aggregate. However, Ricardo Gomes, who would help the team to another Coupe de France title as manager in 1998, popped up with a vital goal to allow his side to progress.
2003/04 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals: AS Monaco 5-5 Real Madrid (Monaco advance on away goals)
One of the biggest shocks in the modern history of the Champions League, Didier Deschamps' young side stunned a Real Madrid boasting the likes of Raul, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Raul, thanks to a helping hand from Madrid themselves. On loan from La Real, Fernando Morientes scored in both legs as the Principality side overcame a 4-2 first leg deficit to win 3-1 at the Stade-Louis II. Monaco would go on to beat another favored side, Chelsea, in the semifinals, before eventually losing in the final, in what was nevertheless one of the best season in the club's history.
2009/10 UEFA CHAMPIONS league round of 16: Olympique lyonnais 2-1 real madrid
If Lyon were unnerved by having had their legendary run of French titles broken in 2009, they scarcely showed it in the Champions League, eventually reaching the semifinals after getting a measure of revenge by beating Girondins de Bordeaux in the quarterfinals. To get there, though, they had to overcome a strong Real Madrid who had brought in a raft of talent in the summer, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema and Kaká. Lyon won the first leg, a testy encounter at the old Stade Gerland, 1-0, thanks to Jean II Makoun, but were under pressure from the start in the return leg as Ronaldo leveled the tie with just six minutes on the clock. Young midfielder Miralem Pjanic proved to be the savior, though, lashing home a layoff from Lisandro Lopez fifteen minutes from time.
Can Les Dogues follow in the footsteps of these encounters? We'll be watching tonight to see if Bruno Génésio and his charges can get the job done.
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