Madrid offers Paris Saint-Germain Féminin an early European test on Tuesday night, with Paulo César’s side arriving at the Santiago Bernabéu in a far stronger rhythm than their last Champions League campaign suggested. Kick-off against Real Madrid is set for 21:00 in the opening round of the competition.
Paris seek a European reset
PSG finished second from bottom in the 2025-26 Champions League league phase, a damaging outcome for a club accustomed to carrying major ambitions in Europe. Paulo César nevertheless insisted that the performances themselves had not always matched that bleak final position.
“We played some good matches in the Champions League last season in terms of our performances,” the coach said.
A result in Madrid would give greater weight to the encouraging start his squad has made this season. Real Madrid reached the Champions League quarter-finals in the previous edition and will provide a serious measure of PSG’s recovery.
- PSG came through their Champions League play-off against Eintracht Frankfurt, drawing 1-1 before winning 5-1 after extra time.
- The Paris side have since beaten Lens, Strasbourg and Nantes by identical 2-0 scorelines.
- They have not conceded in any of those three domestic victories.
Karchaoui points to Parisian character
Captain Sakina Karchaoui said the recent run had shown the spirit within the group as PSG prepared in the Spanish capital.
“We have shown our character and our personality,” Karchaoui said from Madrid.
There is also reason for confidence in the clubs’ previous meetings. PSG have lost only once in six games against Real Madrid, although Paulo César is alert to the danger posed by the home side’s runs behind the defence.
The coach identified controlling that depth as a central part of his tactical preparation on Monday.
Feller brings inside knowledge, while injuries limit options
Naomie Feller could be particularly useful against her former club. The 24-year-old French forward, PSG’s standout summer signing, spent four years at Real Madrid before returning to France.
Paulo César joked that Feller had effectively become his assistant coach because of her familiarity with the Madrid side.
PSG’s selection will still be affected by absences and fitness concerns:
- Griedge Mbock made her return against Nantes and produced an encouraging 50-minute appearance, but she is unlikely to be ready to start in Madrid.
- Olga Carmona, another former Real Madrid player, remains unavailable.
- Midfielder Jackie Groenen is also still absent.
For PSG, the task is clear: carry their domestic defensive control into a European night that could quickly reshape the mood around their season.
