After a brilliant first season for the Graille-Halilhodzic duo, the following term was meant to be that of confirmation. But it wasn’t to be and Halilhodzic’s methods were quickly put to the test when the capital club found itself in the relegation zone after six matches. The summer departures of first-team regulars such as Déhu, Heinze, Sorin and Fiorèse left gaping holes in the Parisian squad and the new signings found the boots hard to fill.

Of course, there were still plenty og highs along the way – most notably, the Parisians superb 2-0 win over FC Porto, the reigning European champions. And don’t forget the seventh and eighth consecutive wins against Marseille in the league and Coupe de la Ligue (League Cup). As usual, Paris stood tall in the big matches, but that wasn’t enough to save the campaign.

Undermined by a conflict which pitted the club’s supporters against the club directors, the season quickly transformed into a long and tedious affair for the club’s players. As the team slipped alarmingly down the table, Laurent Fournier arrived as new coach to try and turn things around. And turn things around he did! The former PSG midfielder collecting crucial victories at home to Bordeaux (3-1) and away to Lyon (1-0).

Eliminated from all Cup competitions, PSG finally ended up in the top half of the table in ninth place. Not good enough to qualify for Europe, but enough to prepare for the coming campaign with a real sense of optimism surrounding the capital club…