Paris Saint-Germain faced RC Lens this Sunday in the Trophée des Champions and lost 1-0. After the defeat, Luis Enrique spoke to PSG TV to discuss the performance of his players and their opponents.
Luis Enrique: “I am very happy with what I saw in the first half”
“There is always frustration. But we have to analyze, judge, and appreciate what we did, because I think we played a very good match. I am very happy with what I saw in the first half, even though the score was 1-0. Football is incredible; it’s so unfair. But we also have to congratulate the opponent, Lens, because they scored one more goal than us, and in the end, that’s what matters in a match. In the second half, we tried to create even more chances.
Luis Enrique: “It’s been a unique week, with two finals in four days”
We missed some very clear-cut chances. Whether it was Ousmane or Nuno Mendes, we created opportunities to equalize, but that’s football—you have to accept it. I was pleased with what I saw; I’m happy yet frustrated. It’s been a unique week, with two finals in four days. We have time to prepare the team, improve our physical and technical condition, and get ready in the best possible way for the start of the league season.”
This marks PSG’s first defeat of the early season, following their UEFA Super Cup victory five days ago. Unfortunately, after Lens opened the scoring, Luis Enrique’s men were unable to bring enough intensity to the match to secure a win. While there was certainly dominance and possession—aided by a numerical advantage—scoring opportunities were too scarce to truly trouble the Sang et Or.
With barely any pre-season preparation, it was inevitably difficult for the Parisians to sustain the physical effort following their victory over Aston Villa. It will take several more weeks of preparation to rediscover the real PSG—and, above all, a team capable of maintaining intensity for the full 90 minutes. Ultimately, it is a well-deserved victory for Lens, who can celebrate a fine first trophy of the season.
