PSG/Nice – Luis Enrique: "Count on Me for Tuesday's Showdown in London"

Paris Saint-Germain suffered a defeat with a score of 1-3 against Nice. video highlights PSG/Nice This Friday at the Parc des Princes will see the 31st round of Ligue 1 for the 2024-2025 season take place. Following the game, Paris FC’s manager Luis Enrique addressed the media during a press conference. Despite the outcome, he maintained an optimistic outlook.

Enrique said, "We thoroughly deserve a favorable outcome."

Football works this way; we should acknowledge it and applaud Nice. However, I also want to commend my squad since they delivered an excellent performance, particularly during the first half when we thoroughly merited securing a favorable outcome.

In the second half, we scored a goal surprisingly early. Although we couldn’t maintain our undefeated streak, this won’t alter our goals for the Champions League and the upcoming French Cup final."

Enrique "I can assure them that we'll be battling in every game from start to finish."

At the conclusion of your comments, you requested additional backing from supporters; does this imply that you're not concerned about the match on Tuesday even though we've observed certain aspects tonight?

What I witnessed today, I'm enrolling for Tuesday's match in London as well as the second leg. The team on display generated an impressive 30 scoring opportunities, which is exactly what convinced me to sign up.

If your squad doesn't hesitate and constantly engages in play at a high level without ceasing to press and run, there should be no cause for concern. And when the goalkeeper comes up with remarkable saves, that's just part of the game, something you must acknowledge as being inevitable.

When you've got supporters such as those at PSG, who continue to sing regardless of the 3-1 scoreboard, I cannot promise championships or triumphs, but what I do assure you is that we will battle through each game with unwavering effort until the final whistle.

We're about to take some time to recharge before our semi-final match. There’s no doubt that we stand out as the top team in France based on how we've performed throughout the year. Right now, we’re sticking to our identity and our goals, and we’ll be giving it our all to secure victory in this semi-final."

Enrique "In football, what matters is the number of goals scored, not the opportunities."

Do you believe touching heads should be allowed for your players or completely prohibited?

At present, the players are feeling emotional, indeed, as they felt they shouldn’t have lost. We definitely merited winning that match. However, it’s clear that when the opposing team performs at full authenticity and you aren’t operating at your normal level of performance, the outcome shifts.

It's complex, yet that's how soccer works. Congratulations once more to your opponents. In soccer, what matters isn't the opportunities you have, but the ones you put into action."

You've essentially put together your usual squad; what was behind making this decision?

You're free to make your own interpretations, but I won't be giving Mr. Arteta any advice. That responsibility lies with you. However, I don't verify the leads. Instead, I'll select the team I believe will perform optimally. I'm quite pleased with how my players have been playing. We didn't get the desired outcome today, but I extend my congratulations to both my players and the team.