Heat? Suspensions? XXL opponents? Paris Saint-Germain just keeps on winning. Luis Enrique has a childish explanation for this.
How Paris Saint-Germain has transformed itself from a collection of big stars with even bigger egos into an impressive collective has been told many times. What is new, however, is that the triple winner now seems so solid in its actions that circumstances no longer play any role.
At the Club World Cup, the Parisians are not only immune to any hint of complacency, which would be only too human after their Champions League triumph. They are also not letting anything else stop them from simply continuing to win.
Luis Enrique sounds almost a little sympathetic
An “XXL opponent” in the semi-finals, as match winner Fabian Real Madrid called them afterwards? They were taken apart almost as mercilessly as Inter Milan in the Champions League final, losing 4-0. The absence of two defenders who saw red in the quarter-finals against Bayern? Not noticeable. The relentless heat at kick-off time in New Jersey? No matter, just let the opponent run.
PSG had 68 per cent possession, even though they scored two early goals. And if you score early, you can make early substitutions and conserve energy. “We are a dominant team that likes to have the ball. And it’s hard for our opponents to do the same,” said coach Luis Enrique, sounding almost a little sympathetic in the aftermath. When the ball was lost, everyone joined in the pressing once again. Paris’s 64 percent tackle success rate hurt Real even more.
Even the goalkeeper helps chase down opponents
“Everyone runs and defends, whether it’s the attacker or even the goalkeeper behind us,” explained 19-year-old Senny Mayulu, who came on as a substitute just like in the Champions League final (but didn’t score this time): “You can hear him shouting, he motivates us. This mentality of never giving up is what I love about this team.”
Luis Enrique has a downright childish explanation for the fact that, apart from Botafogo in the group stage, no one has found a way to counter this team for months. “You have children, don’t you?” was his response on Wednesday to DAZN expert Claude Makelelé when he asked how this team could be stopped. After all, they never get enough of playing. And as their coach, he simply makes sure “that the players have fun and the fans enjoy watching them.”
It’s fitting that Chelsea, a similarly young team, will be waiting for the playful Parisians in Sunday’s final. It will be the 65th competitive game of a season that Luis Enrique is already calling “incredible” with some justification.
