PSG are deserving Champions League finalists, says Luis Enrique
PSG coach Luis Enrique (R) celebrates his team's victory over Arsenal in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final (FRANCK FIFE)
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique insisted his team deserved their place in the Champions League final and were determined to go on and lift the trophy after winning their last-four tie against Arsenal on Wednesday.
"Over the two legs we scored more goals than them and in football it's the most important thing, but Arsenal played a great game and we suffered a lot," the Spaniard said after PSG's 2-1 win in the second leg in Paris secured a 3-1 aggregate triumph.
Goals either side of half-time by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi put the French champions out of sight in the tie before Bukayo Saka pulled one back for Arsenal, while PSG's Vitinha had a penalty saved.
However, the hosts needed goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to make several vital saves and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta claimed his team had been better over the two legs.
"It is the match in which we suffered the most (in the Champions League) but we deserve to get to the final," added Luis Enrique.
PSG will now face Inter Milan in the final in Munich on May 31 after an extraordinary run in the competition which has also seen them knock out two other Premier League sides in Liverpool and Aston Villa.
It comes after they had been in real danger of elimination due to a poor run of results in the league phase -- they lost three of their first five matches, including a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal.
That meant they came 15th out of 36 teams and finished eight points behind the best team, Liverpool.
"I think throughout the competition it is clear that the results are what counts, we know that, but in the league phase there is no doubt we deserved nine points more," Luis Enrique claimed.
"The fact we had such a difficult set of fixtures in the league phase helped the team improve and grow.
"The statistics showed we were one of the best teams in Europe, and when we started to be more clinical, in a short competition, I think we have showed that we deserve to be in the final."
It will be PSG's second Champions League final, five years after they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich in Lisbon.
Last year, in Luis Enrique's first season with the club, they were beaten in the semi-finals by Borussia Dortmund.
"There is no logic in football, but the first day I was here I said the objective was to work towards being able to make history, and that is our objective, to be the first to win this so-desired trophy," for PSG, added the former Barcelona coach, who turns 55 on Thursday.
as/mw
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
9 minutes ago
- New York Times
Man United fans' survey: Your views on Ruben Amorim, INEOS and the players
That season is now (finally) behind us, with the Champions League final played out on Saturday and the new Club World Cup-related transfer window open. United's on-pitch performance in 2024-25 was more than disappointing; the run to the Europa League final being a rare positive until even that was ended by Tottenham. Advertisement The Premier League finishing position need not be repeated here… let's just hope we never see the like of it again. Off the pitch, United have confirmed they have reached an agreement with Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Matheus Cunha. While Bruno Fernandes is giving serious consideration to a move to Saudi Arabia. All this and we haven't yet mentioned head coach Ruben Amorim or the decisions made by INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Well, now is your chance to have your say on all the above topics (and more) below. (NOTE: Readers using our app on an Android device may need to use two fingers to scroll through the survey. Still unable to get to the survey, though? Try this direct link) Loading…
New York Times
16 minutes ago
- New York Times
Mateo Kovacic to have surgery on Achilles injury, expected to miss around three months
Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic has undergone surgery for an Achilles injury and is expected to be sidelined for around three months, according to Croatia national team head coach Zlatko Dalic. Kovacic is set to miss City's Club World Cup campaign, which begins on June 18 against Moroccan side Wydad AC. City's other Group E opponents are Abu-Dhabi based Al Ain and Serie A's Juventus. Advertisement City confirmed on Monday morning that Kovacic has undergone an operation on his Achilles. 'Mateo will spend the summer rehabilitating from the operation and everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery,' a club statement read. Dalic also said that the injury caused the 31-year-old to miss last month's FA Cup final. Crystal Palace beat City 1-0 on May 17 as the south London club won their first ever major trophy. Kovacic was not included in the Croatia squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Gibraltar on June 6 and the Czech Republic on June 9. 'Mateo has been suffering from an injury for some time, which is why he missed the FA Cup final against Manchester City,' said Dalic. 'It's a heel tendon. In agreement with the club doctors, he decided to have surgery, and he should be out for about three months.' Kovacic featured regularly under Pep Guardiola this season, making 42 appearances in all competitions and scoring seven goals. He has played 88 times for the club since joining from Chelsea in June 2023 for an initial fee of £25million, plus £5million in add-ons. After beginning his career at Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, Kovacic moved to Real Madrid in 2013, where he won the Champions League three times and also lifted the La Liga trophy. He signed for Chelsea on loan in August 2018 and joined permanently the following year, and won his fourth Champions League in 2021. Kovacic made his Croatia debut in 2013 and has been capped 110 times by the team, helping the side reach the final of the 2018 World Cup, where they were defeated 4-2 by France. ()
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rice named in Champions League Team of the Season
Paris Saint-Germain have well and truly stamped their authority on this season's Champions League, with seven of their players named in UEFA's Team of the Season after their stunning 5–0 demolition of Inter Milan in the final. The only English inclusion is Declan Rice, recognised for his excellent performances throughout Arsenal's run in the competition. Advertisement Gianluigi Donnarumma was selected between the sticks, with a back four of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, and Alessandro Bastoni. Rice features in midfield alongside PSG's Vitinha. The attacking line-up includes Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Désiré Doué, and Ousmane Dembélé. Raphinha shared the top scorer award with Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy, both bagging 13 goals, and also finished as the leading assist provider with nine. Dembélé was named Player of the Tournament, while Doué picked up the Young Player of the Season award. It rounds off a dream campaign for PSG, who not only secured their first-ever Champions League title, but also became the first French side to win a historic treble under the guidance of Luis Enrique.
