We play the 88th minute. Held in a 1-1 draw and looking for around twenty minutes for a second goal which would secure their place as leader of the group, Paris changed its attitude in a fraction of a second. At the edge of the touchline, Luis Enrique talks for a few seconds with Achraf Hakimi who is nearby. If we do not know the exact content of their exchanges, we understand, in essence, that the Spaniard made the Moroccan understand that AC Milan had just taken the advantage in Newcastle, a result which assured Paris of advance to the round of 16 even with a draw.
The right side then makes big gestures to ask his partners to calm things down. Directives which are not to the taste of Kylian Mbappé, located about sixty meters away. The French striker spreads his arms, expressing his incomprehension regarding the instructions of his coach and his teammate. The world champion wants to score, drive the point home and get a victory to finish first in the group.
Until the final whistle, he expressed his dismay, through large gestures of annoyance, in the face of what could be interpreted as a lack of ambition or a desire to qualify through the back door at a second place which offers a much less lenient draw. Mbappé still seemed to dwell on this management after the meeting: closed face, hat on his head, he was the first to join the PSG bus, parked in the basement of Signal Iduna Park, followed a good while later by Tenas and Lucas Hernandez .
“I asked for more control”
Between, on the one hand, a coach who wants to ensure qualification, and a player, addicted to competition and always wanting to win everything, two visions clashed this Wednesday evening. At a press conference, Luis Enrique assumed his strategy, recalling that the important thing was above all to qualify.
“I didn’t look at the score of the other game until I don’t remember what minute. The objective was to win our match, admitted the Spaniard. We said it again and again during the break to avoid disaster. But in the 85th minute, we realized that Milan were winning and that this victory qualified us. That is what matters. I asked for more control and to take fewer risks but that if we could win, we had to do it. To finish second in such a group, I’m happy. This will allow us to grow. In February, we will be stronger because we will have overcome difficulties. »
At the other end of the field, Gianluigi Donnarumma shared his coach’s position. After being in great demand during a good part of the match, the Italian appreciated the fact of experiencing a more peaceful end to the match and ensuring, above all, a passage to the round of 16. “Yes, we were following the result of the Milan match. Knowing that Milan were leading allowed us to finish the match in a calmer manner, explained the Italian goalkeeper. Kylian wanted to go for first place, but the coach first thought about us not conceding a goal. That was the most important thing, not to take more risks. We could have won, in the first half we had at least five easy shots… It’s a shame. But we are happy to pass, even if for PSG the objective was to qualify in first place. »
“It’s up to me to manage this risk-taking”
So, was Mbappé right to display his discontent so visibly? In any case, the Frenchman did not hesitate to express his annoyance to his coach when leaving the pitch at Signal Iduna Park. Despite a lack of efficiency, the world champion was the most enterprising player on the attacking front, and surely frustrated at not succeeding in giving victory to his team – an assist, a goal disallowed for offence. -game – he felt the need to continue demonstrating his winning mentality until the last second.
“It’s normal for the players to be frustrated,” said Luis Enrique. We missed five chances. To concede a goal in the 85th minute would be stupid. If the player is frustrated, it’s up to me to manage this risk-taking as a coach. I have to manage tensions, that’s my role. This qualification is a real success in such a group. Some wanted to see us dead but we are still very alive and well. »
