OPINION
Paris Saint-Germain crashed out of the Champions League spectacularly on Wednesday night after losing 3-1 at home to Man United. This result came after PSG had beaten United 2-0 at Old Trafford, and follows another catastrophic collapse when they beat Barcelona 4-0 in the 2017 Round of 16 and then lost 6-1.
Online bookie Bet365 decided to rub it in by posting a tweet that read, “Despite spending more than £1.1billion on transfers, Paris Saint-Germain have still not managed to get further in the Champions League than Leeds United.”
In fact Leeds have got further. Leeds made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League in the 2000/01 season, going out to Valencia 3-0 on aggregate after drawing 0-0 in the first leg at Elland Road. PSG have only made it to the quarter-finals.
Bet365 posted the team that played Valencia at the Mestalla in 2001: “Nigel Martyn, Danny Mills, Rio Ferdinand, Dominic Matteo, Ian Harte, Eirik Bakke, Olivier Dacourt, David Batty, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Alan Smith” and rounded the tweet off with, “What a team” and a swooning emoji.
Many Leeds fan reacted to the tweet with delight, although one fan pointed out that they’d only got that far because they spent money they didn’t have. It shows you the gambles football teams are prepared to make for success – something that’s also quite close to home for Leeds fans as they bid to get themselves back in the top-flight for the first time since their own financial collapse following the glory days of 2000/01.
Despite spending more than £1.1 billion on transfers, Paris Saint-Germain have still not managed to get further in the Champions League than Leeds United.#LUFC pic.twitter.com/lSzlRWEela
— bet365 (@bet365) March 7, 2019
Leeds United's XI against Valencia in 2001 at the Mestalla:
Nigel Martyn, Danny Mills, Rio Ferdinand, Dominic Matteo, Ian Harte, Eirik Bakke, Olivier Dacourt, David Batty, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Alan Smith.
What a team. ? pic.twitter.com/YDCPhH9ff0
— bet365 (@bet365) March 7, 2019
Here is a selection of tweets from Leeds fans:
MOT ??
— Rob Dignam (@RDignam) March 7, 2019
Pretty sure that makes us better Cos we didn’t have to spend owt near that crazy amount
— Jack Aston (@AstonJackk) March 7, 2019
Lol. True. Party pooper ….
— Spoon Boots (@spoon_boots) March 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/LordBielsa/status/1103637028565065728
Great stat
— Mike Spencer (@MikeSpencer92) March 7, 2019
A year after the UEFA Cup semi final no less
— Alex Harrison (@axhrs) March 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/JFeast_14/status/1103615279261798400
What a team, Halcyon days ?
— gareth walker (@gesus1981) March 8, 2019
What could have been!! We’ll be back there with bielsa soon ?
— RD (@Ross_Leeds) March 7, 2019