Francis BORELLI succeeded Daniel HECHTER in January 1978.

PSG was starting to make a name for itself by consistently finishing in the top third of the French first division. But it was to be in the Coupe de France (French Cup) that the club from the capital earned its first silverware: on May 15, 1982, PSG defeated AS SAINT-ETIENNE, and a certain Michel PLATINI, in the final and on June 11, the following year, made it back-to-back Cups in beating NANTES, while also ending the league season in third place. After ending the 1983-84 campaign in fourth, PSG again qualified for the final of the Coupe de France in 1985, losing to MONACO. In 1986, PSG was crowned champion of France for the first time, setting a new record of 26 matches without defeat along the way.

Success on the domestic front meant PSG flew France’s colours on the European stage. The best result was a quarter-final appearance in the Cup Winners Cup in March 1983, against the Belgian outfit WATERSCHEI. However, everyone remembers the round-of-16 clash against JUVENTUS, who formed the backbone of Italy’s World Cup winning side of 1982 reinforced by the likes of BONIEK and PLATINI (PSG eliminated 2-2 on the away goals rule).

Fans had to wait until the 1988-89 term to see Paris battling for the title again, finishing an admirable second with the resulting European adventure ending in the round-of-32 against… JUVE.