EXCL: 'PSG weren’t unlucky against Dortmund, but there are positives for Luis Enrique’ – Emmanuel Petit

“I’ve commentated on a lot of PSG games this season in the Champions League over the last three seasons, and yesterday, the atmosphere was amazing. Everything was setup, all the communication from Luis Enrique and Kylian Mbappe, saying that we are going to win the game, we were expecting a party yesterday, but it didn’t happen.”

Mbappe’s failure to make the difference was another deflating aspect of their exit in Petit’s eyes, and he felt that PSG still lacked the cohesion of their German counterparts, who dug deep.

“So I can understand that they had so many chances to score in the second half, but you cannot argue that they were not lucky. Sometimes you need luck obviously, but sometimes you need more than that, there were so many things missing from PSG in order to get through to the final. Dortmund deserved to go through I think, they were the better team, in both games, yes Paris Saint-Germain created more chances, but in the end Dortmund took theirs and they defended very well. They played much more like a team than Paris Saint-Germain in both games.”

In spite of another season without European glory – the one thing the Qatari ownership desires above all – Petit explained why it was still a successful campaign for Luis Enrique, in his first outside of Spain since a disappointing spell at Roma.

“So that’s why it’s disappointing, it’s deflating but there are positive things with this PSG, with Luis Enrique, if I look to the future, I see them improving in the next few months and years. I’m not worried at all. It was not expected that they make the semi-final this year, it was a transition season, after the departure of Lionel Messi and Neymar Junior. No more bling bling anymore, a new vision, a new manager, the spine of team with young players, talented players with a great mentality and great behaviour.”

“So they have a great future ahead of them, and they have so much collectively, there are positive things. Yesterday was a big disappointment because everyone was expecting something different.”

Certainly the lack of star power compared to two seasons ago will be stark, notwithstanding the upcoming transfer window. This PSG side was led by Vitinha in midfield, and whereas at the end of the last campaign, Lionel Messi, Neymar Junior and Mbappe were the names in the headlines. It would be no surprise to see them spring for a big name in the summer either though.

The post EXCL: “PSG weren’t unlucky against Dortmund, but there are positives for Luis Enrique’ – Emmanuel Petit appeared first on Football España.