Club history: 1990-2000
1990/91 A year of transition. Behind the scenes, PSG looked for new backers to confront mounting debts. After becoming an Association in line with the Law 1901 following the general assembly of December 13, 1990, PSG finalised a deal with the television station Canal+ and the Paris Town Hall. PSG adopted the status of an Public Sporting Company, presided over by Pierre LESCURE. Bernard BROCHAND became president of the PSG Association, while both the Company and the Association named Michel DENISOT Vice-President of PSG, and later President.
With the modernisation of the club and an experienced coach, in the form of Artur JORGE, PSG rediscovered its ambition and set about qualifying for European competition. It marked the beginning of a new trajectory for the club and a brilliant 1992-93 season: UEFA Cup semi-finalist, second in the league and victory in the Coupe de France. The climb towards the heights continued in 1993-94 with the club registering a second title as champion of France and a new French record after going 27 consecutive league matches without defeat. A stunning campaign both domestically and internationally as PSG made the semi-finals of the Cup Winners Cup.
March 1993: PSG recorded an historic victory over Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Cup Winners Cup
For the 1994-95 campaign, PSG hired Luis FERNANDEZ, an emblematic player with the club in the 1980s, as coach and shone in the Champions League, including a 10 game undefeated streak. Paris was ultimately eliminated by title-holders AC Milan after seducing Europe with its football and knocking out the likes of BAYERN MUNICH and BARCELONA. And the successes kept coming with the capital club winning the first ever Coupe de la Ligue (League Cup) as well as the Coupe de France (French Cup), four the fourth time in the club’s history.
1995-96 PSG celebrated its 25th birthday and, after three consecutive continental semi-finals, was looking to mark the occasion with a first piece of European silverware in the clubs trophy cabinet. CELTIC GLASGOW, PARMA and DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA fell by the wayside and on May 8, 1996, PSG defeated RAPID VIENNA thanks to a Bruno NGOTTY goal and joined the elite of European winners.
1996-97 This season saw club move under the direction Ricardo GOMES RAYMUNDO (General Manager) and Joël BATS (Coach). Despite a younger squad, the side qualified for a second consecutive European final against RONALDO’S BARCELONA in the Cup Winners Cup, while also finishing second in the league – a second place which saw PSG return to the Champions League.
1997 also marked a change in the club’s ownership. After an increase in the club’s capital further reinforced financial security (extraordinary general meeting, April 27, 1997), the club ownership now comprised: CANAL+ 56.7%, Association PSG 34%, Minorities (individual holdings) 9.3%.
1997-98 PSG struggled to maintain its own high standards. For the first time in the CANAL+ era the club was eliminated before the quarter-finals of the Champions League and struggled throughout the domestic league season. A tough campaign, saved by the two domestic cups lifted by Captain Rai: the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.
1998-99 All Change. After seven seasons in the hot seat, Michel DENISOT ceded the presidency of PSG to Charles BIETRY, himself President of PSG Omnisports since 1992. The former Director of Sport at CANAL+ named Alain GIRESSE, a former member of France’s Magic Four (including Michel PLATINI, Jean TIGANA and Luis FERNANDEZ), as coach. A premature elimination in the round-of-32 of the Cup Winners Cup, coupled with a difficult start to the season cost the new coach his job. Giresse was replaced in November by Artur JORGE and Denis TROCH, whose mission was the haul the club out of the mire. A month later, Charles BIETRY followed Giresse, leaving the presidency for Laurent PERPERE, Financial General Director of CANAL+. Perpere, in turn, named Jean-Luc LAMARCHE, from RC Lens, as PSG’s new sporting director. Unfortunately the results didn’t improve and after consecutive eliminations the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue, Artur JORGE quit the capital in mid-March. Jorge was replaced by Philippe BERGEROO, goalkeeping coach and member of Les Bleus coaching staff which was crowned World Champions in 1998.
Having saved the club from relegation at season’s end, Bergeroo rebuilt the team he wanted. Despite an impressive recruitment, the club’s aims were modest. Yet Bergeroo’s boys made an enterprising start to the campaign and slowly but surely, a new, solid team was forming and the victories followed. The new-found appetite for success quickly took hold and ultimately, PSG qualified again for the Champions League. The recruitment followed and hopes were running high for the first championship of the 21st century…
