PSG – TFC: “The score is harsh, but to win against Paris, you have to be clinical…” Carles Martinez Novell’s analysis after the Toulouse defeat

Is the score severe tonight?

The score is severe, yes. But to win this kind of match, you have to be clinical. If you don't score, they score.

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Are you disappointed with the result, or proud to have managed to hold off PSG for a long time?

It's a mix of both. When you manage to create chances, you start to say to yourself 'why not do it again' (TFC won at the Parc des Princes last May 3-1 Editor's note). A draw was possible, at least. So when you take the second, then the third, that’s a lot. I don't want to lose 3-0. But we did everything we could in the last ten minutes, with offensive changes, to try to bring back the draw. In terms of content, I think we started to believe in ourselves as we progressed, and that showed in the second half.

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TFC remained in three matches without conceding a goal and three victories. Does this type of match, against a high-level opponent, also allow you to learn and better prepare for the rest of the season?

Yes. I think that against a team like Paris, a match like that, it's not all black and white, it's not zero or ten out of ten. We had good periods, in my opinion the team showed good things. We were very good in defense in the first half, but not good enough in attack. I had the feeling that we didn't want the ball enough. In the second half, we believed in ourselves more, we attacked certain spaces better, we wanted the ball more. Throughout the week, we kept telling ourselves that if we wanted to achieve something against Paris, we absolutely had to believe in our abilities. But we missed too much. Our last three games, as soon as we had a chance, we scored. I was very proud of it. Tonight was different, but it's football. I know the players blame each other, but once again we have to remain nuanced.