- Luis Enrique acknowledged the challenge of the tie: “We faced one of the toughest draws, and Monaco made it difficult
- The French champions currently lead Ligue 1 and remain in contention to defend their Champions League title
- Enrique stressed the importance of maintaining focus: “There are still three months of the season
Paris Saint-Germain survived a tense clash with Monaco, drawing 2-2 on Wednesday to advance 5-4 on aggregate in the all-French Champions League knockout tie. PSG had a 3-2 lead from the first-leg encounter, but Maghnes Akliouche put Monaco ahead on the night at Parc des Princes, leveling the aggregate score.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the match turned in PSG’s favor after Monaco’s Mamadou Coulibaly was sent off early in the second half. Marquinhos quickly equalized, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia later put PSG ahead 2-1 in the second leg.
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Despite being a player down, Monaco scored again through Jordan Teze, while Wout Faes missed a crucial chance to force extra time.
PSG coach Luis Enrique acknowledged the challenge of the tie: “We faced one of the toughest draws, and Monaco made it difficult.
We can always improve, but we showed resilience and handled the pressure. The next round will be different, facing Chelsea or Barcelona, and we are ready for that.”
The French champions currently lead Ligue 1 and remain in contention to defend their Champions League title. They have also secured victories in the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Intercontinental Cup, and the French Champions Trophy this season—all via penalties.
Enrique stressed the importance of maintaining focus: “There are still three months of the season. Injuries happen, but our mentality is to compete for every trophy.”
The team also hopes to see Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé back to full fitness. The winger scored 35 goals last season but has managed just 11 this term due to limited appearances.
PSG will learn their next opponent for the round of 16 in Budapest on Friday. Historically, the club has faced Barcelona and Chelsea in knockout rounds multiple times, including a recent 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final.
Meanwhile, Monaco must now shift focus to securing European qualification for next season. Coach Sébastien Pocognoli said: “We could have done more, but this experience will help us grow. We aim to improve and be stronger in the future.”
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