At the time, it felt like the French champions had shot themselves in the foot - rather embarrassingly, and in public - once again. Back in February, when videos emerged of Paris Saint-Germain's highly-paid, under-performing superstars partying late into the night in a Paris establishment like teenage children drunk on Coca-Cola, it seemed like these guys were totally oblivious to the suffering of their supporters and that they would never learn.

The gathering, organised to celebrate the birthdays of Angel di Maria, Mauro Icardi and Edinson Cavani, came just 48 hours after PSG's latest Champions League disappointment. Ok, so they had 'only' lost 2-1 away to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their last 16 clash, but in truth the capital side had got lucky against Erling Haaland and friends after a toothless performance in Germany. As a topless Neymar jumped up and down twirling his shirt above his head, and as Keylor Navas screamed, 'this is how we win the Champions League guys!!', it all looked so surreal. The footage handed the press more ammunition to fire at the team, and it must have felt like another insult to supporters for whom the wounds of the debacles against Manchester United and Barcelona remain fresh.

Hang on a minute...

Yet six months on, those scenes inside the Pavillon Dauphine can be interpreted very differently. The PSG that steps out to face Bayern Munich in the club's first-ever Champions League final on Sunday will be a team that is totally united. A team that has stood up to its critics and responded in the best possible way. The seeds for this new-found resilience, this collective force, this determination to show the rest of the world they are, in fact, a great team and not a laughing stock, were planted during those few eventful days in February.

By going out to party as a team and enjoying themselves so soon after the Dortmund first leg, PSG's players were sending out a message: criticise us all you want, we're not listening any more. Of course, the real response had to come out on the pitch - and it did, most emphatically, during a second leg that was played out inside an empty Parc des Princes.

Neymar steps up

Inspired by the performance of Neymar, who worked harder and fought more than he ever had done before in a PSG shirt, the hosts rendered Dortmund powerless. Although Paris only progressed by a slender margin, winning 3-2 on aggregate, the triumph felt comfortable because they simply did not give their opponents a sniff of a chance. When every single PSG player runs hard and battles for the collective cause, this side is virtually unstoppable.

Outside of France, people found PSG's celebrations over the top. Neymar was in tears after climbing up to the top of a stand to salute the fans outside. But the context here is key. This is a player who was jeered by his own fans at the start of the season. Somebody who had become synonymous with PSG's overspending and relative underachievement in Europe. Thanks to his strength of character, as well as his immense ability, he'd succeeded in turning the tables. Paris' players had had enough to being labelled bottlers, and after getting that monkey off their backs against Dortmund, the outpouring of joy and relief was immense.

Key difference

In a stylistic sense, we have seen better PSG teams that this one during the Qatari era. Laurent Blanc's side is rightly remembered for its ability to dominate opponents, for its silky passing and its finesse. This team is more functional. But it has an inner strength that none of the past teams possessed. Against Atalanta, Thomas Tuchel's charges were disjointed in possession for long periods. The midfield of Ander Herrera, Idrissa Gueye and Marquinhos seemed unable to link up with the attackers. But they hung in there after going behind, and ultimately Kylian Mbappé's entrance allied to Neymar's brilliance won the day.

Leandro Paredes gave PSG more passing variety and ability against Leipzig - and he is tipped to start again on Sunday - but again it was the solidity that stood out for me. With Thiago Silva and Presnel Kimpembe receiving the protection of Marquinhos, who operates as the holding midfielder, there is an extremely solid base. Even more importantly, the entire team is staying switched on and working hard when they don't have the ball. This PSG outfit is happy to defend for long periods. They are good at it and they enjoy it. They also know that if they can provide a solid platform, there is every chance that, sooner or later, Mbappé and Neymar will make a deadly incursion at the other end.

Quality

That is why they have a real chance of beating this formidable Bayern Munich side. Mbappé and Neymar must have been licking their lips when they saw the ease with which Lyon's attackers got in behind the German defence on Wednesday, especially in those first 15 minutes. PSG have scored in each of their last 34 Champions League games, and there is no question they can score on Sunday. The outcome, though, will hinge on whether Paris can resist Bayern's attacking armada. What is sure is that with their collective strength and a seemingly unbreakable spirit, they have a wonderful chance to make history.