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Sergio Ramos believes eliminating Bayern Munich from the Champions League would send out a huge message to Paris Saint-Germain’s rivals for European glory.
PSG are still waiting for their first European crown, with last season’s capitulation against Real Madrid in the round of 16 the latest in a series of continental humiliations for the French giants.
Bayern thwarted PSG’s best run in the competition when they emerged with a 1-0 win in the 2020 final, though the Ligue 1 side avenged that defeat by winning a quarter-final tie the following campaign.
Indeed, among teams to have faced Bayern at least 10 times in the Champions League, PSG have the highest win percentage against them after six victories in 11 meetings (55 per cent).
Ramos believes another victory in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday would serve as a signal of their intent.
“When I think about Bayern, I think about the day I scored against them [for Madrid in a 2014 semi-final],” he told UEFA.com. “Of course, we know they’re one of the best teams we could come up against, a huge challenge.
“But getting past them would be a very positive message to send out to the world. To win the Champions League, you have to win against the best and Bayern are among those every year.”
Ramos won the Champions League four times during his distinguished spell with Madrid, and he hopes his European experience can help Christophe Galtier’s star-studded team get over the line this term.
“Marriages are always based on a dream, and in a perfect partnership everything will go great,” he said. “Football doesn’t always work out. The best teams don’t always win.
“But what I can say is that I’m where I want to be and at a club with so much hunger to win the Champions League. I want to make the most of what remains of my playing career.”
Ramos’ second season in Paris has been much more successful than his first, with the Spaniard making 27 starts this term after only managing nine during an injury-hit 2021-22 campaign.
Recalling his arrival in France, Ramos said: “At first, having taken that leap, everything went wrong. I got injured, had a hard time recovering and adapting to the new system, to the new team and new coach.
“You begin to doubt whether or not you’ve done the right thing, but my career has been defined by consistency, perseverance and hard work. You keep fighting and it will give things more meaning in the future.
“Leaving Real Madrid was obviously a very big change. My goal is always to continue winning. I won a lot with Real Madrid, but I thought this was a good opportunity for a change of scenery, to try to help a team like PSG.”
