Unai Emery is confident Paris Saint-Germain will win the Champions League in the future despite exiting this season’s competition on Tuesday.
After impressing during the group stage, PSG were handed a tough draw in the last 16 as they were paired with holders Real Madrid.
Despite scoring an away goal in the Santiago Bernabeu, the Ligue 1 leaders were unable to turn a 3-1 first-leg deficit around in the return fixture on home soil, slipping to a 2-1 defeat to exit 5-2 on aggregate.
It is the sixth successive season PSG have failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals, and the second in a row where they have bowed out in the first knockout round.
PSG’s Qatari owners smashed the world transfer record to sign Neymar in August for €222 million in an attempt to boost their chances, but with the Brazil international sidelined by a broken foot, they were unable to halt the Madrid juggernaut.
Emery still believes they are on the right path, though, and expects PSG to become champions of Europe in the future.
“When I came here, I said I was sure that this team would win the Champions League,” the coach told a post-match media conference.
“But it is a process in time that is certainly finished this year but maybe next year will be successful.
“We all want to win this competition quickly. We’ll continue with patience, and build a team that can win.
“The Parisian fans will one day see PSG win the Champions League and maybe more afterwards.”
