Enrique: We lost because football is a damn sport

On January 20, in the 7th round of the UCL league phase, Sporting CP defeated Paris Saint-Germain 2-1. After the match, PSG head coach Luis Enrique attended the press conference.

How do you explain this loss? We felt your team performed quite well overall—how did you end up losing the match?

Enrique: “It’s very easy to explain. That’s football. For me, this was absolutely our best away performance of the season. We overcame a very strong opponent, but today I believe there was only one team that played well on the pitch—and that was Paris Saint-Germain. We deserved to win this match. But football is like this—disappointing and extremely unfair. That’s all I can say. Obviously, matches are decided by goals, but in this situation, I must say I’m very proud of my players and of this team. This is exactly the kind of pressure and character we need in away matches. I’m very confident about the future because with this mentality, we can be competitive in any stadium.”

Regarding the final stage of the match, especially after Kvaratskhelia scored, we saw some mistakes and signs of tension among your players in the last seven or eight minutes. Do you think bringing on Zabarnyi and moving Zaïre-Emery back into midfield might have destabilized the team? Or was it another decision, or other factors? You also seemed visibly frustrated—what caused your lack of composure at the final whistle?

Enrique: “We lost because football is a damn sport! It’s a damn sport! We made our last substitution because Fabián Ruiz got injured, and we only had four or five players left on the bench. Our squad always has these issues—it’s not a problem; it’s my job as a coach to deal with these situations. It’s my responsibility. But for everything I saw out there, I’m extremely encouraged. The frustration at the end came because I understand my players—they were clearly better than the opposition today, and the opponent is a very strong team. There was only one team on the pitch today: Paris Saint-Germain. We lost because football is garbage! It’s a garbage sport! This loss is so unfair. As a coach, you feel that injustice. But that’s reality—you have to accept it. I’ve experienced many losses like this before.”

Could this kind of loss affect the players’ mentality?

Enrique: “We controlled the entire match. With our high press, the opponent only managed three or four shots, mostly due to luck. They are a very strong team—I want to emphasize that. But today, for me, there was only one team on the pitch: Paris Saint-Germain. It’s unbelievable that we lost.”

We remember last year—the key moments came down to the players’ confidence, especially that of the goalkeeper and forwards. How do you plan to help your players regain confidence, particularly tonight, when the team may have lacked decisiveness in two critical areas?

Enrique: “We scored a goal, but it was disallowed. I can understand it—maybe it was the right call—but we gave everything we had. I can tell my players that we controlled the match, defended aggressively, and stayed calm to compete at this level. We dominated from the start until the very end. Maybe in the last five minutes, frustration led to some mistakes, and I completely understand that frustration—because I was frustrated myself on the sideline.”

If a playoff is needed, that’s fine, right? What’s your view on this scenario?

Enrique: “If we need to play a playoff, we’re fine—completely fine. We’re ready. Just like last year. Last year, when we performed well, nobody believed in us. This year, the players, the team, the fans—all know what kind of team we are. We’re ready to show ourselves in this competition.”

In today’s match, Sporting CP often sat deep in a low block. Generally speaking, against such a formation, long-range shots are often the best solution. What’s your take on PSG attempting very few long shots until Kvaratskhelia scored? Do you agree with this analysis?

Enrique: “Before the match, we definitely discussed how to break down a low-block team, and long shots were certainly one option. I think we didn’t shoot enough from distance, but we still had enough chances to win the match. Against a low block, you usually need to understand where the space is—and typically, it’s not in the center. You need to attack through the wings and look for crosses. Of course, in this match, there are things we need to improve, and perhaps more long shots could have been part of the solution. But again, I repeat: today I’m very proud of my players’ performance and their character. I’m very encouraged by how our team showed up in this competition. But that’s football. We should congratulate Sporting CP. But for me, this is a very, very unfair result.”