PSG’s Italian Job: A Historical Look Ahead of Atalanta Clash
paris Saint-Germain prepares to face Atalanta Bergamo on September 17, 2025, in a Champions League fixture, prompting a review of the French club’s historical record against Italian opposition. While the upcoming match marks a relatively recent addition to this rivalry, PSG has faced Italian clubs in both European Cup and UEFA competitions spanning three decades, yielding a complex balance sheet of wins, losses, and draws.
This historical context is crucial as PSG aims to improve its performance against Serie A teams on the European stage. A deeper understanding of past encounters provides insight into tactical approaches and potential challenges when facing Italian squads known for their defensive resilience and tactical acumen. The club’s overall record reveals a pattern of competitive matches, often decided by narrow margins, highlighting the difficulty PSG has historically faced against Italian opposition.
A History of Encounters
PSG’s first encounters with Italian clubs occurred in the UEFA Cup. In the 1992-93 season, they faced Napoli in the second round, losing the first leg 0-2 on October 21, 1992, before drawing 0-0 in the return match on November 4, 1992. Later, in the 1995-96 season, PSG battled Parma in the quarter-finals, falling 1-0 in the first leg on March 7, 1996, but securing a 3-1 victory in the return leg on March 21, 1996, to advance.
The Champions League has also seen several clashes. AC Milan has been a frequent opponent, with a 0-0 draw recorded in an unspecified match. More recently, on November 7, 2023, PSG defeated AC Milan 2-1 in the Champions League group stage. A 2018-19 Champions League group stage series against Napoli resulted in a 2-2 draw in Paris on October 24, 2018, and a 1-1 draw in Naples on November 6, 2018.
Further encounters include two matches against Brescia Calcio in the 2001 Intertoto Cup final, both ending in draws: 0-0 in Paris on August 20, 2001, and 1-1 in Brescia on August 21, 2001. A significant victory came against Inter Milan in the 2025 Champions League final on May 31, 2025, with PSG winning 5-0. Prior to the upcoming match against Atalanta,PSG secured a 2-1 victory over Atalanta on August 12,2020,in a single-match Champions League quarter-final.
