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4 months ago
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An amusing sequence on Canal+ with Laurent Paganelli, during a match between Zinédine Zidane in the Champions League and Real Madrid, has resurfaced.
Canal+’s essential “field man” for football matches, Laurent Paganelli began in this role (which he himself democratized) in December 1997! The former Saint-Etienne player was able to enjoy the big Champions League matches broadcast by the encrypted channel. And in particular, Zinédine Zidane at the top of his game at Real Madrid from 2001 to 2006. “Zizou” obviously gave the C1 to the Casa Blanca with a memorable left-footed volley in 2002.
The following year, in April 2003, during a quarter-final first leg of the Champions League between Real and Manchester United (3-1) at the Santiago Bernabéu, Thierry Gilardi, the star commentator of C+, was ecstatic about the performance of the Ballon d’Or 98. “When you have paid for your ticket to the stadium and you come to see Zidane play, you have not wasted your money Aimé…”said the sports journalist who died in 2008 to Aimé Jacquet, the coach of the France 98 team who became a TV consultant.
Paganelli is having a blast
“Paga” then intervened for a very funny sequence which resurfaced on social networks. “And what if we didn’t pay?”asked the former footballer turned “field journalist”. In this match against Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils, Zidane had provided the assist for the first two Madrid goals, for Luis Figo and Raul, the latter scoring the 3-0 goal on a pass from the Portuguese winger. Fabien Barthez was the Manchester goalkeeper opposite.
Ronaldo had not found the net in the first leg (3-1), but he caught fire two weeks later in the second meeting at Old Trafford, scoring a hat-trick against a helpless Barthez. The English crowd cheered the Brazilian striker when he came on as a substitute. Man United had ended up winning 4-3 thanks to a double from David Beckham but qualification was certainly for Vicente Del Bosque’s Real (who were overthrown by Juventus of Pavel Nedved, Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet in the semi-finals).
Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
 When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.
