‘We were the better team’ – Nasser laments PSG’s ‘unfair’ Champions League exit

Confidence was high prior to Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League second-leg against Borussia Dortmund, despite the deficit heading into the encounter.

Niclas Füllkrug’s first-half goal at the Signal Iduna Park last week gave Borussia Dortmund a one-goal advantage but that did not dent PSG’s confidence. “On va gagner,” meaning, “We are going to win” in English was a mantra repeated by Luis Enrique in the build-up to the game, addressing both media and fans. It was a sentiment echoed by Kylian Mbappé, who was also confident of Les Parisiens’ progression and a second Champions League final in the space of four years.

However, it wasn’t to be for PSG, who couldn’t find the back of the net at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday night. Borussia Dortmund could and thanks to a second-half goal from Mats Hümmels, they secured a 2-0 aggregate win and progressed to the final, where they will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.

Post-match, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi lamented his side’s profligacy. “We are very disappointed and sad about the result. I think we deserved better. In total, we hit the post on four occasions tonight and twice last week – the ball didn’t want to go in. It’s difficult,” he began in a post-match interview with Canal Plus.

He added, “We wanted to win but congratulations to Dortmund. We really thought we could get to the final. We were the better team. I am proud of our team, the youngest in Europe. It’s the third time in five years that we’ve made the semi-finals. Of course, this wasn’t our objective, but it’s football – sometimes it isn’t fair.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle