Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund will welcome French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to Sign Iduna Park for the primary leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night time (Might 1). Each groups are wanting to make it to the ultimate at Wembley Stadium and can do every little thing of their energy to make an announcement of intent within the first leg.
Wednesday’s match might be further particular for PSG stars Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele, as they are going to return to their previous stomping floor donning the enemy’s badge.
All through historical past, solely 5 gamers have performed for Dortmund and PSG’s senior groups, and at the moment, we are going to take a look at who they’re and the way they fared on the golf equipment. Now, with out additional ado, let’s start!
#5 Christian Worns
On July 5, 1998, former German center-back Christian Worns joined Ligue 1 aspect PSG from Bayer Leverkusen. On paper, it appeared like switch, but it surely in the end turned out to be an incompatible marriage. Scoring twice in 28 Ligue 1 video games, Worns left for Dortmund in July 1999 and spent the next 9 years of his profession at Sign Iduna Park.
The 66-capped ex-Germany worldwide performed 303 video games for Dortmund between 1999-00 and 2007-08 seasons, scoring 15 instances and offering eight assists. He gained the Bundesliga title with Dortmund in 2001-02.
#4 Thomas Meunier
Belgian right-back Thomas Meunier moved to PSG from Membership Brugge in July 2016. He shortly turned a primary title on the crew sheet and saved his place for the next 4 seasons. The Belgium worldwide performed 128 matches for the membership in all competitions, chipping in with 13 targets and 22 assists. He gained three Ligue 1 titles and three Coupe de France with the Parisians.
In July 2020, Meunier signed for Borussia Dortmund and stayed put till transferring to Trabzonspor in February 2024. Throughout his keep, the 32-year-old performed 83 video games, scoring thrice and offering eight assists. The 2020-21 DFB Pokal was his sole achievement with Dortmund.
#3 Achraf Hakimi
Among the best right-backs on this planet, Achraf Hakimi joined Borussia Dortmund on a two-season mortgage from his boyhood membership Actual Madrid in the summertime of 2018. His tempo and attacking acumen allowed him to settle in properly within the Bundesliga, and he shortly turned one of many first names on Dortmund’s crew sheet. Throughout his mortgage spell, the 25-year-old performed 73 video games for Dortmund, scoring 12 instances and offering 17 assists.
He returned to Actual Madrid in July 2020 and was offered to Inter Milan in the identical switch window. In his debut season, he helped Inter to the Serie A title, stringing a sequence of outstanding performances. Impressed along with his skill, PSG lapped him up in July 2021, and he has been taking part in for them since. Over the past three seasons, the Morocco worldwide has performed 116 video games for PSG, scoring 14 targets and claiming 19 assists. He has gained three Ligue 1 titles with Les Parisiens.
#2 Abdou Diallo
Senegalese center-back Abdou Diallo signed for Borussia Dortmund from Mainz 05 in the summertime of 2018. He scored as soon as in 38 matches for the German outfit within the 2018-19 season earlier than pledging allegiance to PSG.
Diallo spent three seasons within the French capital, chipping in with 4 assists in 75 matches throughout competitions. The 27-year-old, who at the moment performs at Al-Arabi SC, gained three Ligue 1 titles and two Coupe de France at PSG, amongst different honors.
#1 Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele switched from Stade Rennais to Borussia Dortmund for a €35 million ($37.34 million) charge in July 2016. He shortly slid into the primary crew and emerged because the breakout star of the 2016-17 Bundesliga marketing campaign. He performed 50 matches for Dortmund that season, scoring 10 instances and offering 22 assists.
La Liga giants Barcelona had been closely impressed along with his performances and prized him away to Catalonia for a €135 million ($144.02 million) charge. The transfer in the end backfired, as accidents and health points saved Dembele from making the affect his price ticket warranted. After six years, Barcelona reduce their losses and offered him to PSG for €50 million ($53.34 million).
Since becoming a member of the Parisians at first of the 2023-24 season, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has featured in 38 video games, scoring 5 instances and offering 14 assists.