Bobby Robson and Ronaldo with the trophy. Credit: Witters/Witters/Press Association Images
PARIS-GERMAIN FACE Barcelona for only the fourth time tonight in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Parc des Princes.
It is 16 years since the league leaders of Spain and France met when Rotterdam’s Feyenoord Stadium hosted the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final.
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PSG, with the likes of Bernard Lama, Paul Le Guen, Bruno N’Gotty and Leonardo in their side, had knocked out Liverpool in the previous round – taking a 3-0 first leg lead to Anfield and although Robbie Fowler and Mark Wright handed the Reds a victory, it wasn’t enough.
Catalan giants Barcelona, meanwhile, were under the guidance of the late Bobby Robson at the time. The former England boss had arrived from Porto the previous summer and during his one season in charge at the Nou Camp brought success in the shape of the Spanish Cup, the Spanish Super Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
They had seen off Fiorentina in the semi-final and went into the game with a star-studded line-up which included household names like Luis Figo, Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique and Fernando Couto.
Ronaldo with Luis Enrique after scoring. Credit: Matthew Ashton/EMPICS Sport
A 20-year-old Brazilian by the name of Ronaldo had also been tearing up La Liga since being signed from PSV Eindhoven and it was the future three-time World Player of the Year who scored the decider from the spot on 37th-minutes in a 1-0.
With 47 goals in 49 appearances that season, Ronaldo won the Pichichi but was shipped off to Inter Milan for what was then a world record £19 million after one year with the club while Robson moved upstairs with Dutchman Louis van Gaal coming in.
Flashback: Barcelona beat PSG in the 1997 Cup Winners' Cup final
PARIS-GERMAIN FACE Barcelona for only the fourth time tonight in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Parc des Princes.
It is 16 years since the league leaders of Spain and France met when Rotterdam’s Feyenoord Stadium hosted the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final.
PSG, with the likes of Bernard Lama, Paul Le Guen, Bruno N’Gotty and Leonardo in their side, had knocked out Liverpool in the previous round – taking a 3-0 first leg lead to Anfield and although Robbie Fowler and Mark Wright handed the Reds a victory, it wasn’t enough.
Catalan giants Barcelona, meanwhile, were under the guidance of the late Bobby Robson at the time. The former England boss had arrived from Porto the previous summer and during his one season in charge at the Nou Camp brought success in the shape of the Spanish Cup, the Spanish Super Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
They had seen off Fiorentina in the semi-final and went into the game with a star-studded line-up which included household names like Luis Figo, Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique and Fernando Couto.
A 20-year-old Brazilian by the name of Ronaldo had also been tearing up La Liga since being signed from PSV Eindhoven and it was the future three-time World Player of the Year who scored the decider from the spot on 37th-minutes in a 1-0.
With 47 goals in 49 appearances that season, Ronaldo won the Pichichi but was shipped off to Inter Milan for what was then a world record £19 million after one year with the club while Robson moved upstairs with Dutchman Louis van Gaal coming in.
Watch highlights of the final below:
YouTube credit: szalead
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Barcelona Bobby Robson memory lane Paris Saint-Germain Ronaldo