As PSG prepare to take on Arsenal in the semifinals, let's take a look at how they made it this far in the tournament.
Paris Saint-Germain’s 2024-25 UEFA Champions League journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. From finishing 15th in the league stage to staging an epic victory over Aston Villa in the quarterfinals, Luis Enrique’s side have battled fiercely this season.
PSG finished 15th in the revamped league stage but they hit their stride in the knockout rounds. The French champions have grown stronger with each match, and now find themselves on the verge of making club history. PSG are looking to reach just their second-ever Champions League final.
As PSG prepare to take on Arsenal in the semifinals, let’s take a look at how they made it this far in the tournament. Here’s how PSG’s road to the Champions League semi-finals unfolded:
Group Stage Journey
18 September 2024 – PSG 1-0 Girona
Paris Saint-Germain kicked off their European campaign with a narrow but vital 1-0 win over Girona at the Parc des Princes. Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga’s late howler gifted Paris St-Germain victory against the Champions League debutants. It was a cautious performance from the French giants, but they got the job done.
01 October 2024 – Arsenal 2-0 PSG
Their first real setback came against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta’s side outclassed the Parisians, handing them a 2-0 defeat and a wake-up call early on in the group stage. It was a commanding performance from the Gunners, who secured the victory thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
Back in Paris, PSG were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. The home team wasted a lot of good chances and even saw a last-minute penalty overturned by the referee in this match. Noa Lang finished brilliantly to put PSV ahead against the run of play. But PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi then equalised for PSG with a swerving shot from distance.
06 November 2024 – PSG 1-2 Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone’s well-drilled Atletico Madrid side stunned PSG with a 2-1 victory in Paris, which put PSG’s qualification hopes under pressure. Warren Zaire Emery’s opener was quickly cancelled out by the visitors’ Nahuel Molina in the first half. Angel Correa stabbed in the winner three minutes into added time to put PSG in the elimination zone.
26 November 2024 – Bayern Munich 1-0 PSG
A trip to the Allianz Arena saw PSG lose again, this time by the narrowest of margins to Bayern Munich. The German side battled past 10-man PSG 1-0 thanks to defender Kim Min-Jae’s winner. This defeat left the visitors in a spot of trouble after their third loss in the competition.
10 December 2024 – Salzburg 0-3 PSG
Needing a win desperately, PSG delivered a composed and clinical performance in Salzburg. They secured a 3-0 victory that allowed them to continue their Champions League adventure, though via the knockout phase play-offs. Goals from Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue helped PSG move into the playoff spots.
Paris Saint-Germain clawed back from two goals down to stun Manchester City 4-2. SubstituteS Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland struck in the 50th and 53rd minutes to give City a 2-0 lead, but the hosts made a brilliant comeback in the match. Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos all scored to turn the match on its head. This was the match where PSG showed their fightning spirit and looked like a team that could compete for the Champions League Trophy.
29 January 2025 – Stuttgart 1-4 PSG
Ousmane Dembele’s hat-trick helped Paris St-Germain into the Champions League play-offs as they defeated Stuttgart 4-1, a result that eliminated the German side. PSG would have been in danger of being knocked out themselves if they had lost this match. But Luis Enrique’s side turned in a brilliant attacking performance.
In the play-off first leg against Brest, PSG made light work of their opponents, cruising to a 3-0 away win. Vitinha opened the scoring in the 1st half from the penalty spot for the visitors. Ousmane Dembele scored twice to continue his remarkable scoring run.
Paris St Germain cruised into the Champions League last 16 with a crushing 7-0 home victory over Brest in the second leg. This performance was a statement of intent from the French champions, which completed a staggering 10-0 aggregate win for PSG. There were seven different goal-scorers in the match at the Parc des Princes, with Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu all netting for the home side.
Round of 16
05 March 2025 – PSG 0-1 Liverpool (1st leg)
Facing the Premier League giants at home, PSG were edged out 1-0 by a resilient Liverpool side. It was a frustrating evening in Paris, with the home side missing lots of chances in the match. Liverpool substitute Harvey Elliott scored a last-gasp winner just 47 seconds after coming as Liverpool earned a fortunate 1-0 win.
11 March 2025 – Liverpool 0-1 PSG (2nd leg; PSG win 4-1 on penalties)
In one of the most dramatic turnarounds of the campaign, PSG responded with a 1-0 win at Anfield with Ousmane Dembele scoring early in the match. With the aggregate score level at 1-1, the tie went to penalties, where the Parisians held their nerve to win 4-1 in the shootout and advance to the quarter-finals. Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero for PSG as the Italian goalkeeper saved two penalties from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones before Desire Doue hammered home the winning spot-kick in front of joyous PSG fans.
Aston Villa stunned the newly crowned French champions as they took the lead when Morgan Rogers arrived at the far post to turn in Youri Tielemans’ cross. Backed by a passionate home crowd, PSG turned on the style thereon to put three goals past Aston Villa. Stunning strikes from Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes earned a deserved comeback win for the home team.
15 April 2025 – Aston Villa 3-2 PSG (2nd leg; PSG win 5-4 on aggregate)
Paris Saint-Germain kept their hopes of a maiden Champions League crown alive in a rollercoaster match. PSG edged out Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate in a pulsating quarter-final clash, despite a 3-2 defeat in the second leg. Aston Villa pushed PSG to the brink but Luis Enrique’s side just held on to reach the semi-finals.
I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.
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