With an injury list longer than a Game of Thrones casting call, Manchester United really are up against it in their Champions League round-of-16 second leg tie against PSG on Wednesday.
The Red Devils are without the likes of Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic – among others – for their visit to the Parc des Princes, forcing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to seriously shuffle his pack just to get a team onto the pitch.
However, for the superstitious types, there will be forces at work under the lights in Paris that are far more terrifying than United’s terrifying injury list as the three-time European champions attempt to overcome three horrendous records to even take things to extra time against PSG, let alone seal passage to the quarter-finals.
And so here are those horrendous records.
1. Parisian perfection
Over the years, PSG have had their struggles and troubles against English sides, with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City knocking them out of the Champions League in recent years.
However, their 2-0 win at Old Trafford breaks the trend of them crossing the channel, only to head home in defeat – most recently against Liverpool in this season’s group stage.
(Photo credit MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)
And with their formidable recent home record against English teams, PSG could be almost impossible to overcome for Man Utd.
PSG’s last six home games vs English opposition:
PSG 2-1 Liverpool 2018/19
PSG 1-1 Arsenal 2016/17
PSG 2-1 Chelsea 2015/16
PSG 2-2 Man City 2015/16
PSG 1-1 Chelsea 2014/15
PSG 3-1 Chelsea 2013/14
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2. Knockout blow
Man Utd have a rich and colourful history in the Champions League, having been crowned European kings three times and reaching a further two finals.
They are all memories of a bygone era for the Red Devils, though, as their recent history after navigating the group stage shows.
(Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Man Utd have won just one of their last 10 knockout games in the Champions League, a 3-0 win over Olympiacos in March 2014. The streak dates back to their 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in the 2011 final, while they have also failed to win an away tie beyond the group stages since their 2-0 win in Germany against Schalke eight years ago.
3. CoMeBaCk KiNgS
Everybody remembers the ‘spirit of 99’ and that comeback against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp.
That night alone made Man Utd world-famous comeback kings, feeding into the myth of ‘Fergie time’ and prompting commentators, year after year, to spin the line: “Never write off Man Utd.”
However, all tired stereotypes aside, their task in Paris on Wednesday faces another huge roadblock; United have never come back from a first-leg home defeat to win a tie in Europe.
Furthermore, United must win by two goals just to take the tie to extra time, a feat they have only achieved four times away from home in their entire Champions League history.
The aforementioned win over Schalke is their most recent, while the earliest came in a 2-0 triumph over Deportivo La Coruna in 2002.
The Red Devils also won 2-0 in Rome back in 2008, while the most famous of these four wins came a year later as they downed Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates, with Cristiano Ronaldo stealing the show – oh, how they would love him back just for this one game.
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