Paris Saint-Germain’s European dream failed again in the round of 16, again with the improbable howler of an advantage gained in the first game. And, amid disappointment over the elimination of Manchester United, the mood among the French was also incredulous. Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, for example, said he did not understand how the club lost their place in the quarter-finals.
– I am really very disappointed with this game and the result, of course. I really do not understand how we lost this game. We played very well there, we won 2-0, and we took 3-1 here at home. We gave them presents. Really… I do not understand – said the sheik in the mixed zone after the match.
The Paris defeat was surprising also for the local press. L’Équipe newspaper, for example, said United’s 3-1 defeat was “even worse” than Barcelona’s famous comeback against the French side in 2017 from 4-0 to 6-5.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi said PSG gave United a “gift” two minutes into the game, when a poor Kehrer backpass gave Lukaku a goal and complained that Kimpembe’s penalty had already been added, saying he did not understand. The manager admitted that the result was “a big disappointment” and that it was “a shock” for players and fans. Asked if he was angry, he was evasive.
“Everyone went to the field to get a good result. Manchester scored after two minutes, and I felt the doubt was getting into the minds of the players. There are many things to analyze. And it is necessary to observe this penalty.
Asserting that “football is not mathematics,” Al-Khelaifi indicated that if PSG played the same game 10 thousand times, he would not lose more by 3-1. And he avoided talking about changes in the future, such as the possible change of command.
“I trust the coach and his decisions. It’s not because we lost a match that we will now change everything up. We really want to make cool head decisions. This is not the time to talk about it. We want to calmly analyze what we have done, which the coach also wants. It’s very important, we trust him, “he said.
Wow… This one seems to have really hurt the Parisians. It was such a shame, but it’s football. That’s why it’s so passionate.