Rather than admitting fault, Luis Enrique tried to defend himself by saying everyone was involved in the incident.
PSG entered the Club World Cup final as strong favorites after a dominant season, including a treble win and an impressive run crushing Real Madrid in the semifinals. Naturally, frustration ran high when they collapsed so completely against Chelsea. But for a coach as experienced as Enrique, losing his composure raised eyebrows.
When accused of pushing Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, the Spanish coach insisted he was actually trying to separate players from both teams during the tense moments.
This PSG squad, the first in the club’s history to win the treble including the UEFA Champions League, carried huge expectations. Their performance throughout the tournament had been excellent — conceding only one goal while scoring sixteen before the final.
However, on the big stage at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium in front of over 82,000 fans, PSG fell apart in a 3-0 first-half defeat to the English Premier League side Chelsea.
Though PSG showed some fight in the second half, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Frustrations boiled over near the end when midfielder Joao Neves received a red card for pulling Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella by the hair with five minutes remaining.
After the final whistle, a scuffle broke out involving players from both teams. During this, Enrique was seen striking Joao Pedro in the face, sparking intense criticism.
Enrique sought to explain his actions and defend himself as innocent.
“I have no problem expressing how I felt after such a tense and exciting battle. It was a high-pressure match for all of us. What happened was unavoidable,” he said.
“Everyone got involved. What happened wasn’t good, but it was the result of such an intense game.”
In his post-match comments, Enrique repeatedly mentioned the unbearable pressure of the contest, suggesting it was the root cause of the incident.
“I also saw Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca pushing others. I had to separate everyone, including our players. I’m not sure how the tension escalated so much.”
“But we all should have avoided this situation. That goes without saying. My intention was only to separate the players to prevent things from getting worse.”
Despite the ugly ending, PSG’s 2024-25 season has been exceptional. They delivered an incredible performance throughout the year, winning the French Super Cup, French Cup, Ligue 1, and Champions League trophies under Enrique’s leadership.
