PSG splashed €400m on Neymar and Mbappe, but UCL hero Choupo-Moting was signed for FREE

Ligue1 giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have for long set their sights on the Champions League trophy after dominating the domestic scene in France. PSG have spent a fortune and a half over the past few seasons to achieve their Champions League dream including signing Neymar and Mbappe, two world-class high-profile footballers for insurmountable transfer fees. However, on the night when it seemed like PSG's dream was slipping, an Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting goal rekindled those hopes helping his team qualify for the semi-final.

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Choupo-Moting clubs: Neymar and Mbappe pivotal, but Choupo-Moting goal makes headlines 

PSG have endured heartbreaks time and again in the Champions League knockout stages failing to reach the semi-finals since the turn of the century. In a bid to turn to their fortunes in the biggest club competition in Europe, the Ligue 1 champions splashed enormously on Neymar and Mbappe, costing a whopping €402 million, which, according to reports, is more than what Atalanta have spent on their entire squad for the past 19 years. However, when the full-time whistle blew during the Atalanta vs PSG clash, it was the genius of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting that played a massive role in both their late goals to help PSG win the clash.

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While Neymar and Mbappe impressed on the pitch, the Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting goal ended Atalanta's impressive run in the Champions League, helping PSG qualify for their first semi-final since 1995. Incidentally, while PSG functioned with massive amounts of money to assemble their star-studded squad, it was Choupo-Moting, who joined them on a free that delivered at the clutch moment. The former Stoke City striker, who was released after they were relegated from the Premier League in 2017-18, scored what was just the ninth goal of his PSG career in a tense quarter-final, setting up a last-four clash against Atletico Madrid or RB Leipzig. 

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Eric Choupo-Moting clubs and football career so far

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has played for a host of clubs over the course of his career before delivering the goods in the Atalanta vs PSG clash. The 31-year-old started his career in the youth teams at Teutonia 05, Altona 93 and FC St. Pauli before joining  Hamburger SV in 2004. He was subsequently loaned to Nurnberg during the 2009–10 season. Choupo-Moting struggled for game time at Hamburg, often featuring for their reserve team, prompting him to run down his contract and sign for Mainz. In his three-year stay with the club, the Cameroonian made 81 appearances scoring 22 goals, before sealing a free transfer to Schalke. 

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Choupo-Moting enjoyed regular playing time at Schalke, featuring in more than 100 games for the club. However, like at Mainz, the striker ran down his three-year contract, later signing for Premier League outfit Stoke City. The former Germany youth international played 32 times in the season as Stoke were relegated to the Championship.  He joined current employers PSG on a  free ahead of the 2018-19 season and has featured in 49 games for the Ligue 1 champions across all competitions.  

(Image Courtesy: PSG Twitter)