2023-11-29 01:44:49
With only two wins and a draw, PSG remains in the race to qualify for the round of 16 of the Champions League. A penalty awarded after eight minutes of added time allowed Kylian Mbappé to equalize and keep the Parisian team alive against Newcastle this Tuesday evening. Luis Enrique was at a press conference after the match at the Parc des Princes.
Does this result stick in your throat given your multiple opportunities?
LUIS ENRIQUE. Without a doubt. We played a very complete match. We deserved to win, we were better than Newcastle. But it’s football. It’s not always the best who wins or the one who creates the most chances.
Do you share the observation of Kylian Mbappé, who regretted after the match the excessive ineffectiveness of the Parisian attackers?
We’re talking about football here, not basketball. We are one of the highest scoring teams in Europe. I want to emphasize the faith of the players and the supporters. We were behind for a long time but we always believed in it. Result: we equalized in the 97th minute. The objective now is to finish first in the group.
You asked Kylian Mbappé to do better after his hat-trick in Reims. Are you satisfied with his performance?
I am very happy with his behavior. It’s a game of frustration tonight because the ball didn’t want to go in. We were behind the whole match and I saw my players overcome this frustration to not give up. Players are not machines. Sometimes they play well, others not so much. They stayed in it until the 98th minute.
Why did you make several changes per line after the good performance against Monaco (5-2) last Friday?
This is my chance: to have a very large, complete, broad workforce. Danilo is good with the ball and we wanted to dominate the opponent. We were superior to Newcastle. The complexity is that even if you lose, you could pass and even with a draw, you can be eliminated.
Eddie Howe, Newcastle coach, thinks there was no penalty, do you?
I haven’t seen the images. My job is to improve my team. Ask me about my team, not the rest.
Did Paris suffer from a lack of experience?
No, I do not think so. It has nothing to do with youth. The team has strong character. It sometimes felt like a ping-pong match, but I’m very proud of my team, who didn’t let their frustration stop.
Like Real Madrid, PSG have never been transferred to the Europa League. Is it a fear for you to finish third?
(Long silence) I have nothing to say to this comment.
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