One of the most highly-anticipated Champions League group-stage fixtures takes place at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday evening, as Paris Saint-Germain welcome Borussia Dortmund to the French capital.
The two European behemoths join AC Milan and Newcastle United in a mouthwatering Group F, as PSG begin yet another quest for an elusive Champions League crown, having fallen short on many a previous occasion.
In contrast, Dortmund have one top-tier continental title to their name from the 1996-97 season, but the Black and Yellows also know all too well about coming so close yet so far, having failed to dethrone perennial Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich last year.
However, Edin Terzic's men will enter their Champions League opener on the back of a 4-2 league success over Freiburg, whereas PSG must right the wrongs of a 3-2 home loss to Nice in Ligue 1.
Ahead of Tuesday's blockbuster battle, Sports Mole takes a closer look at PSG and Dortmund's head-to-head record in European competition down the years.
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Despite their frequent qualifications for the Champions League in recent seasons, PSG and Dortmund have only ever locked horns twice on the biggest continental stage, and four times overall.
There is very little to separate the two sides in the head-to-head column too, as both PSG and Dortmund can boast one win apiece against each other, with the other two affairs ending all square.
Prior to locking horns in the Champions League, Les Parisiens and BVB were drawn against one another in the group stage of the 2010-11 Europa League, where their inaugural competitive meeting ended in a 1-1 draw at the Signal Iduna Park.
The Jurgen Klopp-led Dortmund drew first blood on the night through a 50th-minute Nuri Sahin penalty, but PSG - who were under the tutelage of Antoine Kombouare - fought back through midfield stalwart Clement Chantome.
A low-key goalless draw at the Parc des Princes two weeks later suited PSG to a tee, as the French champions secured top spot in Group J to progress to the knockout rounds, while Dortmund finished third behind seven-time winners Sevilla to bow out.
Over nine years would pass before PSG and Dortmund renewed hostilities, as the German side sought to get one over former manager Thomas Tuchel and dump Les Parisiens out at the last-16 stage in the 2019-20 season.
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The Ligue 1 giants had gone out at the first qualification hurdle three years running before tackling Dortmund, who were on the cusp of inflicting more last-16 misery on PSG, as an Erling Haaland brace cancelled out a Neymar tap-in in a 2-1 first-leg triumph.
The Norwegian's second strike - a rocket from inside the D - was something to behold, and as the COVID-19 pandemic began to cause untold devastation in March, PSG were forced to play the second leg with no fans present at the Parc des Princes.
Kylian Mbappe was also only named among the substitutes, but with 28 minutes gone, Neymar's diving header from Angel Di Maria's corner sent Les Parisiens ahead on the night and on aggregate owing to the now-abolished away goals rule.
Tuchel's men doubled their advantage just before the break, as Pablo Sarabia's ball across was tapped home by Juan Bernat, before a skirmish between Emre Can and Neymar in the dying embers ended with a brawl erupting between the two dugouts.
No fewer than three PSG players were cautioned by referee Anthony Taylor, but Can was given his marching orders for violent conduct before Tuchel's side scraped through 3-2 on aggregate, sparking unrestrained celebrations from the ex-Dortmund boss against his old club.
The last-16 curse had been lifted, but PSG were forced to accept runners-up medals behind Bayern later that summer, and that fiery loss may be playing on the minds of the Dortmund crop as they go in search of revenge this week.
Ben Knapton
