Newcastle United are the only team to have played more than once against Paris Saint-Germain and remain unbeaten in the last 10 years.
Vitinha pulled the strings, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia terrorised defenders and Ousmanne Dembele provided the third-minute hammer blow that gave Bayern Munich an uphill task.
Arsenal await in the final as Paris Saint-Germain aim to become just the second club since the Champions League rebrand to lift consecutive titles. A slick, polished display in hostile territory - brimming with intensity, discipline and togetherness - was a far cry from the star-driven “Galactico” approach of previous years and underlined why PSG head into the final as favourites.
But against Newcastle United, the Parisians looked limp. A weakened Toon outfit earned a valiant 1-1 to retain their title as the bogey team of the European kings.
Two seasons earlier, the Magpies earned just five points in the Champions League group stage. Four of them were against PSG.
A famous 4-1 triumph is now etched in Geordie folklore, with a controversial penalty cruelly robbing Newcastle of another famous victory at the Parc des Princes seven weeks later. Combined with the recent draw, the Magpies have proven a thorn in PSG’s side.
Crazy Newcastle United stat
In the last 10 years, only one side - Newcastle - have played PSG more than once and remained unbeaten. While the current campaign has been underwhelming, that crazy fact provides a crumb of comfort as Toon fans return to their workspaces this afternoon.
Perhaps Mikel Arteta should give Eddie Howe a call ahead of the final in Budapest on May 30. Newcastle are, after all, the only English club PSG have failed to beat in a major European fixture.
Revisiting Eddie Howe’s post-match comments
For those Toon fans in attendance, the 4-1 win over PSG will stay with them under their dying breath. St James’ Park truly was at its electric best that night.
Howe toasted the Tyneside crowd following one of his crowning moments as Newcastle manager. He told reporters: “I’m so pleased with the players for what they gave tonight. It was a difficult game tactically, PSG tried to play from the back, so we had to unbalance and unsettle them.
“We were man for man at the back against elite players and they had some moments when they hurt us in what, I thought, was an even game but our goals came at good moments. To score four times against PSG in front of our supporters made it a really special night. The atmosphere was very special. I can’t thank our fans enough.”
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