When opportunities are not taken, they can turn into rough challenges. Luis Enrique wasn’t too harsh or he did not directly condemn his team for losing their UEFA Champions League game from the tip of their fingers. However, he was sure to give Kylian Mbappe and Co an urgent reminder and reality check after falling into AC Milan’s trap, which can hurt their ambitions.
Paris Saint-Germain killed the opportunity to seal their Round of 16 spot in the UEFA Champions League. After much investment to aim for a Champions League title, coach Enrique is trying to take a pragmatic approach to the campaign.
PSG’s boss puts things into perspective for Kylian Mbappe and Co
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The UEFA Champions League is no new thing for PSG’s coach. Enrique won the tournament in 2015 with FC Barcelona. His experience in the competition could help PSG improve its capability to deal with pressure situations. However, the Spanish coach did not feed the Paris-based club and its fans with over-the-moon hope. Although a bit optimistic, the 53-year-old manager said that anything can happen at this stage. According to Goal, he stated, “There is obviously a risk” about potentially not reaching the knockout stage of the tournament.
After a subpar FIFA World Cup campaign with Spain, the soccer veteran took on the responsibility of bringing a team that has never won a Champions League title to its destiny. However, all it should take is at least one win out of two for Kylian Mbappe’s PSG to qualify for the next stage.
On Tuesday, the team was right on the money after Milan Skriniar scored in the 9th minute of the game, silencing the fans. Thanks to Olivier Giroud and youngster Rafael Leao, the home team turned that night into a nightmare for the French club. Meanwhile, Enrique is still positive about his team, despite a set of mixed performances.
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All teams are competitive, says Enrique
In this year’s edition, Group F was considered the Group of Death by the fans. Even Enrique affirms that statement, saying all the teams have a chance and the table can only be decided on the last day. Enrique also stated, “It’s the toughest group in the competition, one of the only really interesting groups. Right up to the final day, there’s a chance of finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th.”
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But the Paris team is not here to give up. With two games left in the group stage, Kylian Mbappe and Co will strive to win both of them and seal the deal for the knockout rounds. The team will host Newcastle at Parc des Princes on November 28th to give them the same treatment they received.
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