‘We deserved to win’ - Luis Enrique, proud after PSG's victory against Girona

On Wednesday, 18 September, Paris Saint-Germain kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign by welcoming Girona to the Parc des Princes. PSG came into the match boasting an impressive record of four wins from four domestic games, while Girona faced challenges in La Liga, achieving just two victories from their first five matches.

Managed by Luis Enrique, PSG's lineup featured Safonov in goal, a solid defensive unit, and an attacking trio consisting of Dembele, Asensio, and Barcola. The first half highlighted PSG's dominance in possession, which stood at 73%, yet they struggled to translate this into clear scoring opportunities, ending the half at 0-0.

The second half was marked by a series of missed chances, particularly by Dembele, until Nuno Mendes finally broke the deadlock in the 89th minute with a somewhat fortunate goal resulting from an error by Girona's goalkeeper. PSG clinched a narrow 1-0 victory, but the overall performance left much to be desired.

After PSG's narrow victory over Girona (1-0), Parisian coach Luis Enrique acknowledged (h/t CulturePSG) that the match was not easy against a strong Catalan side. However, he insisted that his team deserved the win.

Luis Enrique, proud after PSG's victory against Girona

What are your thoughts on this difficult victory?

"(He sighs) Phew, tough! Girona showed why they qualified for the Champions League and why they were leading the Spanish league for so long last season. It was very challenging; they defended well. We struggled to create clear chances, but I believe we deserved the win."

What did you think of your players' attitudes on the pitch? Nuno Mendes spoke about the pressure; is this related to the fact that you have a young squad?

"I think our players have shown the same spirit for several months, the same as the supporters: no one gives up until the final whistle. We give our all. Even if we could have been better or worse, we scored in the last minutes, which gives us three points. We can breathe a little easier now, and that's very good."

In what areas does Paris need to improve with a busy schedule ahead?

"Improvement is the goal. But if we talk about merit, we deserved to win."