Champions League – Barça-PSG – Paris, overflowing joy and tributes: “It’s incredible, what we did”

No French club has qualified for a double-header in the Champions League after losing the first leg at home. So PSG offered. The Ile-de-France club, certainly in numerical superiority for more than an hour, certainly helped by several gross opposing errors, achieved a small feat by erasing the defeat of the first leg at the Parc des Princes (2-3). A second 4-1 in a row on the Barça pitch for a clear qualification at the finish (6-4): Paris did things well to reach the semi-final, where it will face Dortmund, and take its revenge.

But Paris above all did things collectively. After 12 minutes, the French champion was behind and in a very bad position. Robert Lewandowski even had the ball for 2-0. But Luis Enrique’s men resisted, then responded. “I feel very proud of our first 12 minutes, reacted the Spanish coach at the microphone of Canal+. OWe showed what we wanted to do here, we conceded a goal but we maintained the will to play, the mentality, we continued to attack. Everything changed from the red card. It was more complicated for them, the players showed a lot of enthusiasm, desire, character“.

“I’ve been dreaming of this all weekexulted Vitinha for his part, confirming the scenes of jubilation observed at the final whistle. We have a lot of merit. It’s incredible what we did. We are very very happy. You have to give us credit, apart from the supporters I don’t think anyone believed it. Even with the goal we conceded, we didn’t give up.”

Perhaps partly because on Tuesday, Luis Enrique didn’t do anything fancy, placed his best players in their best positions in a clear system, and gave Bradley Barcola his chance as a starter, who gave it back to him. A flawless performance for the ex-Barça coach, who was unanimously praised by his troops.

“The coach’s tactics were perfect,” estimated Ousmane Dembélé, still on Canal+. “The coach told us that we would win the match mentally,” confirmed Vitinha. “He brings us a lot in tactics, in the head. It’s important the way he makes us believe that everything will go our way. He has a lot of merit, it must be said: he is an incredible coach.”

Very strong words from one of the great men of the evening, dedicated to another major player in this meeting. Proof that this time, PSG did not come down to Kylian Mbappé despite his double and his newfound smile. Which did not prevent it from being a symbol of the evening state of mind on the Parisian side. “He was the undisputed leader of our teamrecognized Luis Enrique at a press conference. We must highlight the pressing he achieved with Ousmane (Dembélé) and Bradley (Barcola). And when he leads by example, the team is much stronger.”

Another tribute in a post-match which did not lack any. The prize will perhaps go to Nasser al-Khelaïfi, obviously over the moon after such a scenario against his sworn enemy. “I saw something I haven’t seen in 13 years: everyone was together, everyone fought for each other. Everyone wanted to win and get to the semi-finals. I’m happy for the coach, the best in the world. We were a team, we showed it.”. There is a feeling of something clicking.