Luis Enrique Defends Actions in Post-Match Brawl After PSG’s Club World Cup Final Loss to Chelsea
The FIFA Club World Cup final ended in controversy as Paris Saint-Germain fell 3-0 to Chelsea, with tempers flaring into a post-match brawl.
Footage showed PSG manager Luis Enrique appearing to push Chelsea’s João Pedro to the ground amid the chaos, sparked by João Neves’ 86th-minute red card for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair.
The clash involved Pedro, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Achraf Hakimi before Enrique intervened.
Speaking to reporters, Enrique explained, “I have no problem expressing my feeling at the end of the game in a high level of pressure…
I wanted to separate the footballers, so the situations didn’t become worse.” He acknowledged the unsightly scenes, saying, “It was not what was best and the end result of the pressure of the match,” and noted seeing Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca push others, adding, “We had to separate all the players.” Despite the defeat denying PSG a world title to complement their Champions League crown, Enrique insisted, “We are not losers, there are no losers… A loser is somebody who gives up.”
Pedro, reflecting in the mixed zone, downplayed the incident, stating, “I don’t need to say about them because it’s normal. Everyone wants to win the game and, in the end, I think they lost their heads… But this is football… we won the tournament, that’s it.” The Brazilian forward suggested the loss momentarily unraveled PSG, but chose to focus on Chelsea’s triumph.
The defeat marks a bitter end for PSG, who now face a break until Ligue 1 resumes on August 17. Enrique’s attempt to diffuse the situation has sparked debate, with some viewing it as a heat-of-the-moment reaction, while others question his conduct. Chelsea’s victory, however, stands as a highlight, overshadowing the unsavory aftermath.
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