Luis Enrique, the coach of Paris Saint-Germain, stated that overcoming Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on Sunday proved more challenging than it appeared, despite PSG’s convincing 4-0 victory in the last 16 of the Club World Cup.
Joao Neves opened the scoring for PSG early on, and the team quickly added three more goals before the interval, establishing a commanding lead.
Messi, the former star of PSG and Barcelona, showcased his skills in the second half, as Miami fought hard but failed to find the back of the net.
“Competing against players of this calibre is always tough; it proved challenging, but as a team, I believe we performed excellently,” Luis Enrique told the media.
“There was a noticeable difference between the first and second halves… their quality was clear, and I think we earned this victory.”
“It was more difficult than it might seem after the first half.”
The Spanish manager highlighted that his PSG squad, having already claimed the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the French Cup for their first-ever treble, is currently in fantastic shape and eager to succeed in the United States.
“We are undeniably having a historic season for our club, and our aim is to progress as far as possible in this competition,” Luis Enrique added.
“Now we find ourselves in the quarter-finals, with only eight teams left in the running. Our objective is to advance further and compete for the trophy. However, we must navigate two more knockout rounds to achieve that.”
“The season is long, as it is for all teams, but we have the motivation to remain competitive.”
PSG winger Ousmane Dembele expressed his delight at the opportunity to see Messi along with his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Javier Mascherano. “It was magnificent to share the pitch with Leo; I was a child watching his brilliance on TV, so it’s truly special,” remarked PSG defender Lucas Beraldo.
‘Reality’ Check
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano shared his satisfaction with his team’s overall performance in the tournament, despite the heavy defeat to PSG.
“We achieved the goals we set for ourselves; we knew we could compete to a certain extent, and today, reality has revealed that,” Mascherano told the press.
“I am immensely proud of my players and the effort they put into the tournament… we aimed to demonstrate what we can do in every match. The disparity in levels is evident, but I hold them in high regard.”
Mascherano commented on his fellow Argentine, Messi, stating that he was able to display his talent, even in defeat.
“I believe Leo had a fantastic game, given the circumstances. In the second half, we managed to utilise him more effectively. In the first half, we were unable to due to Paris’ pressing,” the coach explained.
“They eased off their intensity in the second half, allowing us to demonstrate more of our typical play in MLS.”
Despite PSG currently being regarded as one of the top teams globally, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was awash with Inter Miami jerseys, predominantly bearing Messi’s iconic number 10.
“PSG is in outstanding form, champions of all competitions, yet fans still flock to see Leo Messi, even at 38 years of age,” Mascherano concluded.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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