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Luis Enrique expressed satisfaction after PSG's 1-1 draw with Bayern, reflecting on the team's performance and looking ahead to the final.
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(REUTERS)
Almost an hour after the end of the match, a tired but happy Luis Enrique, without being euphoric, appeared at the post-match news conference for Bayern vs. PSG (1-1).
The Parisian coach reviewed the match, naturally highlighted the good things about his team, and he already talked a little about the final.
Q: What is your feeling after this qualification?
A: In my opinion, it's clear, it's a moment to enjoy. It was a very high-level match, and I think both teams improved in the way they defended (compared to the first leg). We started the match very well because we created chances in the first few minutes. After, when we scored the goal, we had more calm than usual when you play this type of match. Bayern Munich tried everything; they attacked constantly, and it was very difficult. We are not used to defending for that long, but we showed, as always, what type of team we are, what type of players we have, and it's incredible. We are in our second consecutive Champions League final. That represents the level of this team, the players, and the supporters. It's the club. We are very happy.
Q: You have coached several teams, several clubs. Is this the strongest team you have coached in your career?
A: It's difficult to say that before the end of my career, but of course, during these last three years (at PSG), it's the strongest team, the team most similar to us, in my opinion. It was very difficult because they have many quality players, but at the same time, they have a very clear way of playing that is very difficult to manage and defend against. But what we showed today represents what type of team we are. And I remind you that we still have not been able to field the team that won the Champions League, the Champions League final, that starting team. We have not been able to field that team because this year has been particularly injury-prone, and it's a shame, as it's very difficult for it to happen that way. But at the same time, it shows what type of team we are and what type of players we have.
Luis Enrique highlighted the positive aspects of PSG's performance during the post-match press conference.
He expressed a feeling of happiness but remained composed, indicating satisfaction with the qualification.
He briefly discussed the final, indicating that preparations and focus are already underway.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, allowing PSG to qualify for the Champions League final.
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Q: Yesterday, you said it would be a different match from the first leg, and it happened that way. I found Bayern very nervous, would you say that tonight it is above all a victory in the management of emotions, more mental, psychological? We have the impression that your team was implacably calm.
A: These are things that are important to highlight. I think we have shown during these last three years that we are ready to face any type of match. We have talked a lot about this because being too excited is not ideal. We sought to be at 100% because it's impossible to have a player below 100%. But being above 100% is very dangerous. What we have seen during all the matches has been, I think, very important for us. It's clear that it was a real pleasure to have a team full of players with this mentality.
Q: You have repeated it to us a lot for several weeks. Do you believe more than ever in the back-to-back with this Paris Saint-Germain?
A: We have believed in it all along. Do you remember what I told you after the group stage? Do you remember or not? (The journalist says to him, "About what?") About the fact that I don't see any team better than us? I said it! When everyone was criticizing, everyone said that the team, Paris Saint-Germain, was nothing, nothing, nothing. (he pauses) I don't miss. And I can appreciate it because, for me, Bayern Munich is at its height, at its level. They showed that. Arsenal is one of the best teams this season. What they have done all season is incredible. They are still competing in the Premier League, and they are in the final. That is something that must be valued. But I have so much confidence in my team that I think it's important to value it.
Q: We insisted a lot last season on the youth of this team. When we see tonight the match that players like Warren Zaïre-Emery, Desire Doue, or Joao Neves had, we feel that they have gained maturity. Do you consider today that your team, one year later, thanks to the maturity of the young players, is even stronger than it was last season?
A: It's very difficult to say that. I think that is perhaps a question for you, journalists, who always want to think about that. But what I can say and what I think the supporters think of our team, is that it is a faithful team, it is a reliable team, it is a team that can fight all the time. We can play better or worse, but today we showed that if we have to defend in a low block, for the majority of the match, for many moments during the match, we can do it. It's not something we like, because we didn't select the players to do that, but if we have to do it, we can do it. And we did it all the time. And I think that shows the ability we have to prepare for challenges. I think that is a very important thing and it means a lot to our supporters and to Parisians, because we like to play good soccer, but we also like the fight, to fight. Of struggles and battles, as the song says.
Q: First of all, big congratulations on the new qualification for the final. You often say that your team can always improve. Tonight, we saw that even in pain and difficulty, you adapted, you qualified. So, in what way can your team still improve?
A: That's normal. I am sure that when I analyze the match, I will see things that we can improve. Today, I think we greatly improved the defense in support, because if you leave a lot of one-on-ones against players of that level, you will have a lot of problems. But we created very clear two-on-twos in defense. We won more duels than in the first match, and we maintained the level in attack, because we knew that if we only thought about defending, that was not how we were going to qualify for the next final, and we showed it. We started the match that way, and when we scored the goal, I think it gave us more calm, and that was very important.
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