Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique downplayed the significance of his side’s recent domestic slump after the French champions fell to their second consecutive Ligue 1 defeat against Strasbourg on Saturday.
Les Parisiens were on the wrong end of a 2-1 result at Stade de la Meinau as Strasbourg, who are aiming to qualify for next season’s Champions League, capitalized on Enrique’s heavy squad rotation.
How the match panned out
Strasbourg opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Mamadou Sarr’s header took a deflection off Lucas Hernandez and found the net. They then extended their lead just before halftime, with Felix Lemarechal curling a superb strike into the top corner.
PSG came out flying after the interval, pulling one back just 44 seconds into the second half through a composed solo effort from Bradley Barcola. However, they were unable to find an equalizer as Strasbourg held on for a 2-1 victory.
Luis Enrique’s reaction
Saturday’s result saw PSG record their second consecutive Ligue 1 defeat, following a 3-1 defeat to Nice at the Parc des Princes last week. Despite the disappointing outcome, Enrique insisted he was satisfied with his team’s display.
“It was a very high-level match,” the PSG manager said.“It is not worth going too deep into it because the objectives I had imagined have materialised, apart from the result.
“I think it was a very close match between two teams who want to play in the Champions League next season.
“It’s ridiculous to go beyond that. I also want to say that we were close to a draw, we had chances. But it’s not easy to play against this Strasbourg team.
“They have a lot of quality and experience. Now, we have to recover and enter a phase of immersion for Wednesday’s match [against Arsenal].”
Enrique prioritizing the Champions League
Enrique’s heavily rotated squad, which saw four academy graduates make the starting XI, indicates that the Spanish boss went into Saturday’s game with one eye on their Champions League semi-final second leg clash with Arsenal.
Les Parisiens hold the advantage following their 1-0 triumph in North London last week, and they’ll be looking to finish the job when the Gunners rock up to the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, April 7.
Olaoluwa is a dedicated sports writer and passionate football enthusiast with two years of experience. Known for his keen analysis and commitment to the game, his work reflects a deep love for football, blending strategic insight with the emotional moments that make it a global passion. He is focused on honing his skills and consistently aims to inspire and engage readers through every article he writes.
