Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais faced off this Sunday at the Parc des Princes in Matchday 30 of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season. The match ended in a 2-1 victory for Lyon. After the game, Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca spoke at a press conference. He celebrated the success of his plan before praising PSG and their coach, Luis Enrique.
Fonseca: “We know we won’t have the ball, so we have to be organized.”
“This victory is a huge boost in the standings…
Before the match, we talked about the defensive work we needed to do this week. We prepared for what the team did tonight (Sunday). We know how to play against Paris, who are the best team in the world, because we know we won’t have the ball, so we have to be organized and know what to do when we do. We had to be very quick up front with Afonso (Moreira) and Endrick, which we managed to do.
Was it frustrating to face a revamped PSG?
(Laughs.) I’m not frustrated at all tonight, but very, very happy. When you play against PSG, it’s always very, very difficult. We played a good match. I wanted to reach the end of the match and be proud of my team’s courage, and that’s what happened.
Fonseca: “Along with Guardiola, he’s the best coach in my opinion”
Luis Enrique?
“For me, he’s one of the best. Along with Guardiola, he’s the best coach in my opinion. He’s changed the mentality around the important things. His greatest achievement is showing that the team is what matters most, not the players. He had that courage, and he continues to have it. I have to say one thing: winning after success is always more difficult.
He’s won everything possible in recent years, and having the opportunity to continue this year is even harder. It’s a great achievement. He’s a great coach and a great person. I love his mentality. I wish PSG good luck in the Champions League; I’ll be fully supporting them from behind the TV. I hope PSG wins the Champions League.”
The Lyon coach remains simple about his victory: he had to adapt to PSG’s style of play and found solutions to pull off an upset. Of course, luck was also needed in both penalty areas. That’s part of football, and it’s very difficult to beat PSG without that element. Lyon dominated, but without creating a multitude of clear-cut chances. They were solid and managed to counter-attack effectively. This summary almost diminishes the credit for their strong defending, which is certainly no easy feat against the Parisians.
We know that criticism has been flying since last night, and understandably so, given that the match wasn’t particularly polished. But Fonseca rightly points out that PSG is a great team with a top-level coach. Even if there was some rotation, which isn’t Lyon’s problem. The journalist’s question was indeed surprising. And we shouldn’t forget that Paris had opportunities to win this match, even when they weren’t at their best. Amidst a few hours of barbs, Luis Enrique will surely appreciate the praise from his Lyon counterpart.
