Written by 
Matthias Hangst/Getty Images
The wait goes on for Paris Saint-Germain.
The French giant was felled by Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals of the Champions League.
With Dortmund holding onto a 1-0 lead from the first leg, Mats Hummels provided some insurance with a header in the 50th minute.
Symbolizing how the two-legged affair unfolded, Hummels’ goal came moments after PSG midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery hit a close-range effort off the woodwork. That was one of four shots the team hit off the frame of the goal.
Paris Saint-Germain was a bit unfortunate to be held scoreless in the first leg. Its luck was even worse in the return fixture.
Tuesday night offered another searing indictment of PSG’s long-term project. It can keep winning Ligue 1 every season, but that’s overshadowed by the absence of a single Champions League trophy to date.
The managers have changed. The key players have changed. And the outcome remains the same.
Nobody represents Paris Saint-Germain’s failures better than Kylian Mbappé. While the 25-year-old’s talent is undeniable, you can’t help but think his career has stagnated a bit thanks in part to his side’s domestic dominance.
Now Mbappé is poised to leave France behind — likely for Real Madrid — without having even collected a Champions League medal. Assuming he’s out the door, being largely anonymous over the two legs against Borussia Dortmund is a disappointing way for what should’ve been a much more memorable run to end.
𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 @TheEuropeanLad
Kylian Mbappé vs Dortmund, 1st leg:<br><br>• 0 goals<br>• 0 assists<br>• 1 shot on target<br>• 16 times possession lost<br><br>Kylian Mbappé vs Dortmund, 2nd leg:<br><br>• 0 goals<br>• 0 assists<br>• 3 shots on target<br>• 18 times possession lost <a href=”https://t.co/HJF4BAyQSr”>pic.twitter.com/HJF4BAyQSr</a>
In the pantheon of Paris Saint-Germain’s defeats in the Champions League knockout stages, this probably isn’t the worst or most embarrasing.
But it might be the most frustrating because the road couldn’t have been much easier to the final. While far from a minnow, Borussia Dortmund sits fifth in the Bundesliga and clearly couldn’t match the Parisians’ talent level. Overturning a one-goal deficit at Parc des Princes should’ve been pretty straightforward for PSG.
There’s also Mbappé’s impending free agency, which added a layer of urgency to this season. The club should have ample funds to sign a replacement(s), but taking a step backward might be inevitable when losing a star of his caliber.
It will be fascinating to see whether Paris Saint-Germain opts for a more dramatic shift in its approach in a post-Mbappé future. The status quo certainly isn’t cutting it.