It’s officially the end of this 2023/2024 season for all French clubs. Indeed, Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint-Germain were the last two teams still on deck this weekend as part of the Coupe de France final, on the lawn of the Pierre-Mauroy stadium. With great mastery of the match, the Parisians won their 15th national cup in their history. A very nice way to end a campaign which was very special for multiple reasons: the first since the departures of Marco Verratti, Neymar and Lionel Messi, the first under the direction of Luis Enrique but also the last of Kylian Mbappé whose future has taken a prominent place in the daily life of the Parisian club since the start of the school year in September. The time has come to take stock of this 9-month adventure with its strange scent and unique flavor.
The rest after this ad
“We played a great match. This season reflects what this team is. We had a good season, the final was incredible and the fans always support us. I am happy. Throughout the season, we saw the idea that I have of football as a coach. Hold the ball, have chances, score goals, don’t worry too much about the result and put pressure on the rival. Since the first day, our supporters at the Parc des Princes have been linked with the players because they saw that we gave our best. They saw the desire of the players and it went as we wanted.analyzed Luis Enrique at the microphone of beIN Sport. Certainly, certain episodes may have given a bitter taste to his campaign at Paris Saint-Germain but ultimately, the troops of the Capital have not had such a flourishing identity and project for several years. Forget Mauricio Pochettino and Christophe Galtier, the new emperor is Luis Enrique and he is determined to achieve great things again.
To read
PSG: full agreement for the transfer of Matvey Safonov
The return of the hat-trick and even more…
With this victory against OL in the Coupe de France final, PSG added a 51st title in its history, its 33rd under the Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) era. And casually, for his first season in Paris, Luis Enrique allowed the Parisians to return to the national treble, a first since the 2019/2020 season under Thomas Tuchel (which was even a quadruple with the League Cup today disappeared). A season full of trophies: “I think I must first congratulate all the players without exception, the whole club and all the supporters who were exceptional. This is the team I was looking for, that I was waiting for, a team that is not afraid. Who never calculates. Very attacking player who presses aggressively and has had great energy all year. It is not my role to choose a single period”, first explained a smiling Luis Enrique at a press conference. PSG achieved the Ligue 1-Coupe de France double for the fifth time in its history after 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020. This is the best total for a French club ahead of ASSE and its 4 doubles.
The rest after this ad
Winning everything is the main goal of Paris Saint-Germain. If the Champions League remains a failure in Paris, Luis Enrique wasted no time in establishing his tactical touch, his warrior mindset and his lofty goals. Management that many players adhere to, even the youngest members of the squad: “When we play at PSG, all the trophies are close to our hearts. We had a wonderful season. We have a group that is magnificent and I am very happy to be part of this group. I hope next year will be just as beautiful.”, summarized Warren Zaire-Emery at the microphone of beIN Sport. A totally special evening for PSG which won the Coupe de France for the 15th time in its history. An absolute record for a club in the history of the competition ahead of OM and their 10 successes.
Frustration but a basis for work
President Nasser al-Khelaïfi was very clear in the mixed zone, responding virulently to a journalist. There is no question of calling into question the excellent work of Luis Enrique who is an integral part of the project. The Spaniard is the central man who symbolizes this project. Fine-tuned group management, a clearly identifiable tactical philosophy and a mentality already in place: “It’s the end of the season, but the negotiations are beginning. We will try to improve the squad. We will try to have a good transfer window. The players’ adaptation time must be taken into account. There are no holidays in football. I will be in contact every day with the president and Luis Campos. I will not go to the Euro and I will watch them on TV, where we see them very well. That way I can watch while drinking a beer. Or two. Or one per half-time”, joked the Spanish coach. An excellent working base which is therefore a guarantee of undivided optimism within the team’s executives, the Parisian supporters, as well as the managers.
The rest after this ad
So it is true that despite this flamboyant hat-trick, a certain frustration remains in certain minds due to this elimination against Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final (1-0, 0-1). For many, there was room to reach the final against Real Madrid and thus maintain the hope of a historic quadruple in France: “We were great throughout this final. Once again, congratulations to the team. I wanted to play one more week and not go on vacation. It’s life and the game. I give all my players a 10/10 for the whole season”, concluded the Gijón tactician. The time has come to take a breather for some players, to compete in the Euro for others, while the technical staff and sports management must meet to talk about the future and prepare for a crucial transfer window after the long-awaited epilogue. from the Kylian Mbappé soap opera. Fortunately, as he has already illustrated by bringing him out prematurely or starting him on the bench, Luis Enrique has already accustomed his players to life without the Blues captain in the second half of the season.
Pub. THE 05/26/2024 2:18 p.m.
Update 05/26/2024 5:08 p.m.
