Password 83: Hakimi challenges Ziyech for a historic Moroccan European throne
An unprecedented achievement for Enrique against Villarreal
Achraf Hakimi equalled a historic Moroccan record held by his compatriot Hakim Ziyech, while Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique reached a mark no coach had hit before.
Enrique handed Hakimi a start away to Villarreal on Wednesday evening in the fourth round of the Champions League league phase.
The full line-up was as follows: Safonov, Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho, Illya Zabarnyi, Lucas Hernández, João Neves, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz, Senny Mayulu, Désiré Doué, Mahdi Akliouche.
Hakimi equals Ziyech's achievement
With his 83rd appearance, Hakimi drew level with Ziyech as the Moroccan with the most games in European competition in history, according to figures from French network "Stats Foot".
One more outing against Roma on 25 November in the fifth round would see him claim the record outright.
Hakimi has played 81 Champions League matches, plus two in the Intercontinental Super Cup.
Those appearances came in the shirts of Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.
Ziyech, now at Brazil's Botafogo, racked up his total differently. He played 45 matches in the Champions League group stage and knockouts, 14 in the qualifiers, 17 in the Europa League, six in that competition's qualifiers and one in the Intercontinental Super Cup.
Those games came with Chelsea, Ajax, Galatasaray and the Dutch sides Twente and Heerenveen.
Unprecedented achievement for Enrique
Enrique, meanwhile, wrote his own piece of Champions League history. He became the first coach to reach 50 matches with a French club in the competition, according to "Stats Foot".
His spell in Paris rolls on, and with it his run at the sharpest end of the continental game.
Vitinha and a run that knows no absence
Vitinha's presence remains remarkable. The Portuguese has started every one of PSG's 58 Champions League matches since arriving in the summer of 2022, missing nothing.
