Failed! Paris thought it would spend the winter warm and it will ultimately have to go through the Champions League play-offs, like Inter Milan or Real Madrid. The fault lies in a completely topsy-turvy end to the first phase with a draw in Bilbao (0-0) in December, a defeat in Lisbon against Sporting (2-1) and a draw (1-1) this Wednesday evening against Newcastle, all in one week.
Paris will have been in the top 8 for seven days before coming out pitifully at the final meeting. He finished 11th and will face Monaco or Qarabag in the playoffs. Luis Enrique, PSG coach, was at a press conference this Wednesday evening at the Parc des Princes.
How do you analyze the meeting?
LUIS HENRY. It was a very good first period. We started in a positive way. We missed a penalty but we created situations. The equalizer just before half-time hurt. Physically, Newcastle are strong. We knew it before the match. We would have deserved to win, without much difference but a little more. We face very different teams in Ligue 1. I have nothing to reproach my players even if some did not have their usual performance. I don’t see anyone who is more favorite than us in the competition.
In your weak times, you are less strong than last season. How do you explain it?
This is the schedule, the group that we had. We are ready for the play-offs, that’s clear. You have to improve, OK. But we still lose an important player.
How do you explain the last three matches in the Champions League?
We can be better, obtain better results. But we are here, we are ready. We’ll see who we play against, Monaco or Qarabag. I am very demanding of my team. We have to analyze who we are going to come up against. We had 13 points before the last match. We deserved to win against Newcastle. The defeat in Lisbon is undeserved.
Matvey Safonov played immediately upon returning from injury. Did he become number 1 ?
I can’t say anything. When you see my decisions, it will be very clear to everyone. I don’t know if there will be a rotation for goalkeepers. I am an open coach who asks his players to be ready at all times. I don’t know what I’m going to do next.
What exactly does Khvicha Kvaratskhelia suffer from?
It’s the ankle. It’s complicated. I hope I’m wrong and have good news tomorrow (this Thursday).
