The 2008–09 season was French football club Paris Saint-Germain's 36th professional season, their 36th season in Ligue 1 and their 35th consecutive season in French top-flight. Paris Saint-Germain was managed by Paul Le Guen. The capital club was chaired by Charles Villeneuve until Sébastien Bazin took over. Paris Saint-Germain was present in the 2008–09 Ligue 1, the 2008–09 Coupe de France and the 2008–09 Coupe de la Ligue. Last season's League Cup win allowed the capital club to participate in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup. Paris Saint-Germain's average home attendance for the 2008–09 season was 40,902, the second-highest in the Ligue 1.
Last season, Alain Cayzac resigned with four games remaining and Paris Saint-Germain was in the relegation zone. Cayzac was temporarily replaced by Simon Tahar, then succeeded by Charles Villeneuve, days after Paris Saint-Germain maintained Ligue 1 status and was defeated in the French Cup Final by Lyon. He had relatively high ambitions for Paris Saint-Germain and stated his expectations from coach and former player Paul Le Guen. Villeneuve declared that Paris Saint-Germain started the season with the prospect of regaining success and stability:
News City of Lens Mayor Guy Delcourt wanted the match to be replayed after PSG fans unfurled a racist banner midway through last season's League Cup Final. The match was not replayed, but Paris Saint-Germain were fined and banned from next's year edition. The measure was later overturned on appeal. Charles Villeneuve replaced Simon Tahar as president days after the club maintained Ligue 1 status and was defeated in the French Cup Final by Lyon. Charles Villeneuve announced that the Presidential Tribune was renamed the "Tribune Francis Borelli" to honor the former President. Pauleta, PSG's all-time top scorer with 110 goals, announced his retirement from professional football. Paris Saint-Germain announced that Lilian Thuram would not play for the capital club. His medical examination revealed heart abnormalities. Paris Saint-Germain and Rennes decided, by mutual agreement, to terminate discussions and negotiations concerning Jimmy Briand's transfer. Jérémy Clément signed a one-year contract extension until 2012. Guillaume Hoarau received the "France Football Golden Star" trophy for his performance in Ligue 2. Paris Saint-Germain refused a €0.3 million offer from Real Madrid for Yannick Boli as he was determined to succeed at Paris. Apoula Edel signed a new one-year contract extension until 2011.
The renovations of the Camp des Loges were completed on 4 October 2008. The entire process cost €5 million and was inaugurated on 4 November 2008. Guillaume Hoarau was named Player of the Month for October by the UNFP with 55% of the votes. Charles Villeneuve announced that Pauleta would become ambassador and supervisor of the capital club. Paul Le Guen won the UNECATEF Fidelidade Mundial "Le Coup du Coach." Stéphane Sessègnon was named Player of the Month for December by the UNFP with 55% of the votes. Paris Saint-Germain announced that Charles Villeneuve would resign from his mandate as president-general manager ahead of the General Assembly. The Camp des Loges was recognised by the FFF as one of the best pre-training centers in France, being classified as Elite, Class 1 and Class A in recent seasons. Sébastien Bazin was named the new president of Paris Saint-Germain. Péguy Luyindula was named Player of the Month for January by the UNFP with 55% of the votes. Guillaume Hoarau was named Player of the Month for February by the UNFP with 71% of the votes. Paul Le Guen left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season after the capital club decided not to renew his contract. Jean-Eudes Maurice signed a new three-year contract extension until 2012.
Transfers In
Total spending: €10.5 million
Out
Total income: €14 million
Squad information
Kit Nike manufactured the kits for Paris Saint-Germain and the airline Emirates continued to be the club's main sponsor. Nike have been PSG's official kit provider since 1989. Emirates have been the club's partner since 2005 and the major shirt sponsor since January 2006. Emirates confirmed their commitment to PSG by extending the current partnership until 2014. Les Parisiens received brand new home and away kits. The home shirt had PSG's traditional colors. It was dark blue with a vertical red band and two thinner white stripes on the middle of the chest which disappeared under the main sponsor's logo in white writing. The borders of the sleeves were partly red. The away shirt had a simple design. Silver was the main color while the sponsor's logo was accented by a red background bordered by white and black thin stripes. The shirts had the club badge on the top-left, the Nike logo on the top-right and the club sponsor Fly Emirates written across the middle.
Board & Staff
Pre-season Paris Saint-Germain opened their preseason campaign with a victory over Pontivy. The capital club then achieved a new triumph, this time over Ligue 2 side Châteauroux in Port Crouesty. Paris Saint-Germain continued their pre-season preparations for the coming season with a draw against Boulogne. The capital club then defeated Clermont scoring two unanswered goals and confirming that Paul Le Guen's squad is in top form just two weeks before the start of the 2008–09 campaign. Paris Saint-Germain recorded two consecutive victories over Belgian sides Gent and Roeselare with youngster Yannick Boli scoring his third goal in pre-season. Invited by Portuguese club Vitória de Guimarães for the first time, Paris Saint-Germain attended the Torneio Cidade de Guimarães, were Les Rouge-et-Bleu suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of the hosts in their opening match. Benfica showed great capacity and came back from two goals down to equalize against Paris Saint-Germain in the second day of the tournament. Just three days before the start of the season, Les Parisiens finished their pre-season preparations with a superb victory over Qatari side Al-Khor at the Camp des Loges. Paris Saint-Germain showed great character as the pre-season lived up to all its promise and more, being without any doubt a positive outing for Paul Le Guen's side.
Matches
Competitions Ligue 1
AS Monaco made a winning start against Paris Saint-Germain's expensively-assembled team with a late goal. Guillaume Hoarau scored his first Paris Saint-Germain goal as the capital outfit condemned last season's runners-up Bordeaux to their first defeat of the season at the Parc des Princes. Sochaux got their first point of the season with a hard-earned draw at home to PSG. Paris Saint-Germain made it three games without defeat as their improvement under Paul Le Guen continued with another Guillaume Hoarau goal earning them a narrow win at Caen. Paris Saint-Germain took an early lead from the spot through new signing Mateja Kežman and held out for the 90 minutes to take all three points at home to Nantes. Saint-Étienne picked up their first win in four matches as they beat Paris Saint-Germain. Nassim Akrour's third goal of the season gave promoted Grenoble an historic win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes. Paris Saint-Germain's poor recent run continued as they let slip an early lead to take only a point from Nancy. Paris Saint-Germain staged a come-from-behind win at home to Lorient with a late goal from substitute Loris Arnaud. Goals abounded as Paris Saint-Germain handed Marseille its first league defeat of the season, outscoring their arch-rivals four goals to two and denying them top spot on the table in a thrilling 'clasico' at the Stade Vélodrome. A bizarre own-goal from Zoumana Camara condemned Paris Saint-Germain to defeat at home to Toulouse. Paris Saint-Germain coach Paul Le Guen blasted his players for being too soft at half-time of their clash away to Nice, but despite an improved second-half display, the capital club fell to a second consecutive loss. Ludovic Giuly's first goal for Paris Saint-Germain was enough to earn all three against a resistant, if largely uninspired, Lille who saw their nine-game unbeaten run brought to an end at the Parc des Princes.
Paris Saint-Germain were too strong for Le Havre and took the points with goals from Guillaume Hoarau and Ludovic Giuly. Ludovic Giuly struck for the third time in as many games to give Paris Saint-Germain a narrow win over Lyon in the capital as the leaders' cushion at the top was reduced to five points. Rennes moved up to second in Ligue 1 after Bruno Cheyrou's first-half goal proved enough to give Guy Lacombe's side a narrow win over Paris Saint-German. A first half double from Ligue 1's leading scorer Guillaume Hoarau set the stage for Paris's win, their fifth in their last six matches, over Le Mans at the Parc des Princes. Stéphane Sessègnon struck twice against Auxerre to lift PSG into third as Paul Le Guen's men registered a fifth league win in six outings. In the race for second place behind autumn champions Lyon, Paris failed to keep the pace drawing at home to Valenciennes. Laurent Blanc's Bordeaux thumped four unanswered goals past Paris to go within one point of top spot on the table, giving faltering champions Lyon serious cause for concern in the race for the title. PSG made it six wins from their last nine matches when they beat a tough Sochaux outfit at the Parc des Princes. Guillaume Hoarau grabbed his 13th goal of the season as Paris Saint-Germain moved up to third in the table thanks to their win over Caen. Paris Saint-Germain closed to within a point of Ligue 1 leaders Lyon thanks to an emphatic victory over Nantes. Paris Saint-Germain registered their fourth Ligue 1 victory in a row against Saint-Étienne to move outright second in the standings, one point behind Lyon, ahead of the champions match at home to Le Havre. Paris Saint Germain remained second, but lost ground after they were held to a goalless draw at Grenoble. Paul Le Guen's men made it three wins in four matches as they completely dominated a tentative Nancy outfit to consolidate second place on the L1 table. A superb first-half strike from Ludovic Giuly and a Mickaël Landreau penalty save were enough to give Paris Saint-Germain a narrow win at Lorient and ease Paul Le Guen's side within a point of leaders Lyon.