Despite splashing the cash in recent times, PSG have repeatedly come up short in the Champions League. Les Parisiens have been thwarted time and time again in their quest to finally establish themselves among Europe's elite, and this past summer again loosened the purse strings in another bid to try to end the Spanish dominance of Barcelona and Real Madrid as the kings of Europe.
However, it's a Spanish giant again who will stand in their way, and this time, it's not Barcelona in the knockout rounds, but Real Madrid. Les Parisiens will have to take on the reigning champs - who made history last season as the first team in the modern era to win back to back titles - and knock them out if they aim to stay afloat in this season's competition.
So, ahead of what's billed as the biggest clash of this term's round of 16 tie, let's have a quick look at PSG's history in the round of 16 ties. How have the capital giants fared in the past?
February 12, 2013 and March 6, 2013 - A hard-fought win over Spanish opposition but...
PSG won the first battle against Spanish opposition in the round of 16, which saw them take on Valencia, but were thwarted by Barcelona in the quarter-finals thanks to the away goals rule.
February 18, 2014 and March 12, 2014 - In cruise control
PSG had no problems brushing aside Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen as they cruised to a 6-1 aggregate round of 16 win. However, they failed to clear the quarter-finals stage as they were halted by Chelsea, who beat them 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, thus rendering their 3-1 win at the Parc des Princes null and void.
February 17, 2015 and March 11, 2015 - By the skin of their teeth
In an entertaining finale that went to extra-time, PSG edged out Chelsea on away goals to get to the quarter-finals. However, their perpertual foe - yes, Barcelona - popped up yet again and thrashed them 5-1 on aggregate in the last eight to put any hopes of progressing to bed.
February 17, 2016 and March 10, 2016 - Mission accomplished
A 2-1 scoreline in London and Paris was enough to get the job done for PSG against Chelsea in the round of 16, but they were eventually stopped by Manchester City in the quarter finals.
February 14, 2017 - It's all love and games in Paris
PSG will be keen on avoiding another bad case of déjà vu this time around. Last year to the date, they famously beat Barcelona 4-0 in Paris. Game, set, match, right?
Wrong.
March 8, 2017 - The famous comeback
Less than a month later, Barcelona made history. In what was one of the most epic games football fans have ever seen and surely will be telling their future kids (and grandkids), the Blaugrana managed to overturn a 4-0 deficit - which had never been done before - to win 6-1 on the night.
PSG's dreams went up in smoke, to say the least. And although Lionel Messi & Co. would be dispatched in the quarter-finals by a ruthless Juventus side, it wouldn't matter much for Les Parisiens, as they now became the first side to manage to win the first leg 4-0 at home and still crash out of the round of 16.
Ironically, perhaps, Neymar was the protagonist for Barcelona on that night. PSG will be obviously hoping he will play a huge role for him here against Real Madrid in this titanic tussle.
February 14, 2018 - ???
What will be in store for fans and neutrals this Valentine's Day?
