Paris Saint-Germain and Nantes faced off this Wednesday at the Parc des Princes in a rescheduled match from Matchday 26 of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season. The match ended in a 3-0 victory for PSG. After the game, Nantes coach Vahid Halilhodzic spoke at a press conference.
Halilhodzic: “I feel like everything is against us.”
What are your thoughts after this match?
It’s a logical result. We were hoping for something, but that penalty and that disallowed goal, can that change anything? I don’t know. But if it had been 1-1 at halftime, maybe it would have been different. But this world is different. The worlds of PSG and Nantes are different in terms of football.
Is VAR still against us?
I’ve never experienced anything like this. I feel like everything is against us. Even the counter-attacks in duels go to the opposition. The match against Brest has left its mark; one mistake robbed us of a victory that would have given us hope for staying up.
How did you experience the match from the stands?
It’s shameful. I asked for an explanation and I get a four-match ban, I don’t understand. We were robbed of a victory we fought so hard for. We have to congratulate the referee, who admitted he made a mistake. But I got a four-match ban, it’s unbelievable. I asked for an explanation. I know what I’m doing, I know what the referee did.
Halilhodzic: “We played against a monster, for me the best team in the world.”
Is the team distraught, especially after the disallowed goal?
You had a disallowed goal? It’s… (sighs). Was it offside or not? The penalty, the lad jumps, it touches his hand… everything’s against you. It’s a millimeter, an uncontrollable movement. But you can’t get carried away. We played against a monster, for me the best team in the world. But when you’re preparing for a match, you never know, and neither do they. But everything’s been against us since I arrived.
Maybe I’m cursed, I don’t know. I’m very sad. Seeing Nantes in this position hurts. I came to try and pull off an upset, it’s difficult. But I don’t regret it. I’m very attached to the club. Some people have said I’m crazy, but I don’t think so. I came to lend a hand. The players are devastated, the match against Brest was painful.
Halilhodzic: “We’re a little bit cursed.”
The end of the suspense for the title and relegation?
When I arrived, we were playing against Strasbourg, and I think that if we’d won, it would have changed everything. I’ve already arrived at struggling teams. Maybe coming a month earlier could have made a big difference. Against Strasbourg, we were ahead twice. There’s also the fact that we conceded seven goals in stoppage time. We’re a bit cursed, although I don’t know if that’s the right word.
We’re trying, the lads are affected. We’re working hard. Nantes isn’t just any club. It’s a very popular club. I love this club, the situation is unacceptable. I don’t want to talk about how they got to this point.
Paris will be champions of France, Europe, and the world. With that budget, they’ll win everything. I’ve rarely seen such a strong team, both individually and collectively. For the past few years, they’ve really been playing as a team. It’s a great pleasure for everyone who loves football. I’ve seen their matches against the European giants, it’s a joke, it’s incredible. They’ve reached a level I’ve never seen before. Congratulations to everyone who built this team.
Halilhodzic: “I get the feeling my team is a little scared.”
A point to build on for the match against Rennes?
I haven’t said anything to the players yet, but as I explained, that somewhat gratuitous penalty and the equalizer could perhaps have changed things a bit. I get the feeling my team is a little scared. But the victory against Brest could have been beneficial. If we equalize today, that could change things. Even though it’s very difficult against Paris.
Our problem is also that PSG lost against Lyon and were obligated to win against us, since Lens is in exceptional form.
