Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique confessed that he did not relish watching their nerve-wracking late victory over Girona in the Champions League on Wednesday. PSG clinched the win after Girona's goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who had thwarted multiple attempts by the French champions, committed a disastrous error in the closing moments of the match, gifting the hosts a 1-0 win.
"I believe we were the better team, but Girona kept us on our toes and made us dizzy. At halftime, we emphasized that if we didn't press, we would suffer. We had to win, and it was extremely challenging," Luis Enrique shared with Movistar Plus.
"It was incredibly tough. I told (Girona manager) Michel that this was worse than childbirth, with all due respect." Under the new Champions League format, teams face eight different opponents in eight matches, with the top eight teams in the 36-team league advancing directly to the last 16, and the next 16 participating in an additional knockout round.
Luis Enrique noted that the format introduces uncertainty regarding the importance of results. "Winning a match or any title is arduous, but we are unsure of the scope of this competition with this format," he stated. "We will have to play against teams with easier schedules than ours. How many points will we need? There are many uncertainties that need clarification."
Despite the triumph, PSG faced a setback as striker Marco Asensio limped off just before halftime. However, Luis Enrique expressed confidence in the depth of his squad. "He felt a twinge. Marco had started the season strongly. This is professional football, and we have a very capable squad." PSG's next fixture is away against Reims in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
