Luis Enrique Claims PSG Deserved Victory Despite Goalless Draw Against Athletic Club

Add as a preferred source on Google

Paris Saint-Germain's head coach, Luis Enrique, expressed his belief that his team deserved a victory against Athletic Club after their 0-0 draw at San Mames. Despite dominating the match, PSG failed to secure a win in this Champions League encounter. This result marked the second time they dropped points in the competition this season, following a 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich on matchday four.

PSG showcased their attacking prowess by generating an expected goals (xG) of 2.05 from 18 attempts. Thirteen of these shots came from inside the penalty area, with five hitting the target. However, despite their efforts, they couldn't find the back of the net. Luis Enrique felt that their performance warranted more than just a single point.

Luis Enrique acknowledged the challenging atmosphere against a team drawn from pot four. He noted that while such matches might seem straightforward on paper, no team in their group is easy to face. "It was a different kind of match with this atmosphere against a team from pot four [in the draw]," he said. "That means this match should have been easy, but we can see that in our draw, there are no easy teams."

Player Reflections on the Match

Joao Neves commented on the team's effort and lamented their inability to score. "We gave it our all, as always," he said. "I think that all we were missing was a goal." Nuno Mendes echoed similar sentiments about their performance and intensity but emphasized the need for goals.

Upcoming Fixtures and Standings

Currently third in their group with 13 points, PSG is one point ahead of Liverpool in ninth place. They are set to face Sporting away and Newcastle United at home in their final two games next month. These matches will be crucial for securing their position in the standings.

Luis Enrique highlighted how PSG started strong and improved significantly in the second half as Athletic Club tired out. Despite acknowledging Athletic's pressing game, he maintained that PSG deserved to win based on their overall performance during the match.

The coach remains optimistic about future matches while recognising areas for improvement. The focus now shifts to refining strategies and capitalising on scoring opportunities to ensure better results in upcoming fixtures.