Paris Saint Germain manager Luis Enrique was pleased with his side’s display as they began their FIFA Club World Cup journey with a dominant 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Enrique, 55, led the club to a historic treble last month, including a first-ever UCL title, when Les Parisiens thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in the final in Munich.
As it happened
PSG dominated the early exchanges and took a well-deserved lead when Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz struck into the bottom corner.
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Portuguese midfielder Vitinha added a second just before half-time to put the UCL winners two goals up by the break.
Julian Álvarez pulled one back for Diego Simeone’s side, the goal eventually ruled out by VAR for a foul on Desire Doue in the buildup.
Atletico went a man down in the 78th minute after Clement Lenglet was sent off for a second bookable offense, before further goals by Senny Mayulu and a penalty by Lee Kang-in secured the emphatic win under the scorching heat in Pasadena.
What Enrique said
“We are happy. Even with this [high] temperature, we are happy. You have to manage that. It is difficult to play in these conditions”, Enrique said.
“I think every single player showed their best quality to the team. As a coach, I am happy. Really great to feel that love [from the stadium]. We are happy and want to continue with our ways.”
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The former Barcelona coach also stated his intent to make history, by winning the newly-expanded format of the Club World Cup.
“We had the objective of making history this season, but this [the Club World Cup] is a new chapter,” Luis Enrique said in his post-match news conference. “It’s a nice challenge for the players and the team, to want to keep winning.
The club is hungry, the fans are hungry, the players and the team are hungry, and that’s a good feeling. I don’t know [if we’re favourites], it doesn’t bother me, but we have the same objective as in other competitions, which is to go as far as possible and try to win it”, he added.
What next?
PSG are up against Brazilian side Botafogo in their next match before rounding up group fixtures with a game against Seattle Sounders.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
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