Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has addressed his involvement in a heated scuffle at the end of PSG’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final on Sunday, saying he was only trying to separate players during the altercation.
Television footage showed the Spanish manager raising his arm toward the neck of Chelsea forward Joao Pedro, who had earlier sealed the win with the third goal following a Cole Palmer brace at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
“There was pushing and shoving, a lot of tension and pressure. The situation obviously should have been avoided,” Luis Enrique told reporters. “My intention was clearly to just try to separate the players.”
Despite the emotions running high, Luis Enrique conceded that Chelsea were worthy champions on the night.
“I think over the course of the game they deserved their win. They played very well,” he said. “I said beforehand that Chelsea were a very good team and they deserve their victory and the trophy.”
PSG were aiming to cap an extraordinary season with a historic quadruple, having already claimed the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, and Coupe de France titles. But their hopes were dashed by a dominant Chelsea side that raced to a three-goal lead before halftime.
Looking ahead, Luis Enrique emphasized the importance of a brief break before PSG’s next challenge — the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur in August.
“I think it is important for us to enjoy our holidays. They will be very short, but we need to make the most of them,” he said.
While PSG fell short this time, their Champions League success ensures they will get another shot at the Club World Cup in 2029.
Reflecting on the expanded tournament, Enrique said, “I think this tournament was born out of the need to know who the best team in the world is. I think it is an interesting format and it could become a real top-level competition.”
He added that the biggest challenge for the new format is calendar congestion, but remained optimistic about its future.
“We had the chance to win it, but there was another team who were better than us in the final.”
