Fallout continues from Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League semi-final victory over Arsenal
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Luis Enrique
(Image: TNT Sports/Twitter)
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique could not resist a tongue-in-cheek jibe towards the four Premier League clubs they have beat en route to this season's Champions League final. Mikel Arteta's side, who coincidentally travel to the home of the newly-crowned Premier League champions next, suffered defeat in Paris to lose 3-1.
Before them it was Aston Villa who succumbed to the French machine in the quarter finals, and in the earlier last-16 round, Liverpool were dumped out by way of a penalty shootout. Even at the back end of 2024, a faltering Manchester City were dealt a crushing blow by now finalists PSG during the opening league phase.
Reflecting on the win, Enrique said: "It means a lot. A lot. Everybody has been dreaming of getting to the Champions League final, it was our goal when we first arrived to Paris. Making history, and we are on the right path.
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Plenty has been said over the years about the perceived gulf of quality between the Premier League and France's Ligue 1, which has been won by PSG in 11 of the past 13 seasons.
But over that period they have never won the Champions League when the likes of Liverpool and Man City have.
So PSG's boss was asked by TNT Sports about defeating the Premier League's top four of last season, to which he first laughed.
"Well, the league of farmers, no? We are the league of farmers," he replied with a touch of sarcasm.
"Now we are enjoying not only the result but the compliments of everybody speaking about our team.
"We are a young team but the mentality and the character, also how we play, I think it's nice and I have to congratulate my players."
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is one who has openly discussed PSG in light of their round-of-16 victory.
"I have to be honest," Salah admitted before PSG's game with Arsenal. "PSG had a very good first leg. We were so lucky. Alisson had the best game of his career at Liverpool. They were very unlucky.
"Then they came to Anfield. And we were the ones who were unlucky because we hit the post two or three times, they saved balls on their line once or twice. So we were unlucky too," the Egyptian reflected.
"In this match, everything was 50/50. Who deserved to qualify more? No one could say.
"We had a very good second leg, they had a very good first leg. And you lose on penalties... sometimes it's your day. Sometimes it's mine. It was their day.
"No one would say, 'They deserved it 100 percent!' No. The first leg, yes. The second, no. It's the same for us. The second leg, yes. The first, no.
"It was their day and I shook the players' hands afterward, I said to them: 'Congratulations, go win it!' and that was it."