In the early hours of today, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Marseille via penalties in the Trophée des Champions final. PSG manager Luis Enrique spoke to the media after the match.
How do you explain Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance in penalty shootouts?
“Some people say it’s luck. Maybe there is an element of luck involved, but nowadays all goalkeeping coaches and goalkeepers have access to information on everyone. Everyone agrees that we have outstanding penalty takers and top-level goalkeepers—it’s a perfect combination. If the shootout had taken place at 1-1, it might have been more difficult, but at 2-2, it was a special motivation.”
What is your take on this match?
“We started well, but then Marseille played brilliantly—perhaps better than us both in possession and without the ball. They have high-caliber players and a top-class coach, and they probably deserved to win more. But we showed what we always do when we face problems: this team’s DNA.”
Gonçalo Ramos scored another late goal in the game.
“I want to talk about him because he is a warrior who is always ready. He has the character and personality to play at any time.”
On the game
“When you reach a final, emotions run high, and I don’t think the team played at its usual level today. It was a tough game, and the opponents performed extremely well, but this team has a unique mentality. We fought until the last minute, and I think the penalty shootout was a bit of a lucky charm for us in the end! We are very happy, the team is over the moon, and this is important for our supporters—it was a hard-fought match.”
“What matters is understanding that victories don’t come easily, and today was a test. I know it’s difficult to maintain a high level consistently. We have won many games in the final minutes, which shows that we have a distinctive character and mindset. I have to congratulate my players, especially Gonçalo Ramos, because he is a warrior. He is always ready, whether it’s for one minute, two minutes… he is prepared. He is a warrior, and we are delighted to have Gonçalo with us.”
