On their way to the Champions League final, PSG coach Luis Enrique responded to trolls by defeating three Premier League teams.
After eliminating Liverpool and Aston Villa, PSG faced Arsenal in the semifinals. Luis Enrique was perhaps waiting for this perfect moment. Following their Champions League final qualification, PSG’s coach addressed the taunts about the French league.
In the ongoing English Premier League season, where Liverpool was dominant and one of the best in the group stages of the Champions League, PSG knocked them out in the Round of 16. Then, they triumphed over Aston Villa in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, PSG faced Arsenal, who had previously eliminated a club like Real Madrid.
But despite the challenging path, PSG crushed Arsenal’s hopes. They won the first leg 1-0 and secured a 2-1 victory in the second leg on Wednesday. Now, just one step away from their first-ever trophy, the 54-year-old club is on the verge of something historic.
After the match, in an immediate response, Enrique said to TNT Sports, “Farmers league, right? We’re a farmers league…” before quickly composing himself. “It’s amazing… we’re enjoying this success, everyone is praising us, talking about our mentality and the way we play. It’s wonderful.”
The term “Farmers League” is often used jokingly or sarcastically to refer to the French league, mainly because of PSG’s dominance. After wealthy owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi took over, PSG’s star-studded squad outpaced other clubs by a huge margin. They had only won two league titles until the 2011-12 season, but since 2012-13, they’ve claimed 11 titles, only failing in 2016-18 and 2020-21 seasons. They’ve secured the league title well in advance this year, far ahead of the others.
However, that success hasn’t yet translated into European glory. PSG has only reached the Champions League final once, in 2020. Now, they have another chance to make history.
Enrique also shared the story behind the team’s change in mentality. The stage where they were eliminated last season is where they now celebrate their victory. But it wasn’t an easy journey.
Last season, PSG managed a stunning comeback in the quarterfinals, overturning a 3-2 deficit to Barcelona by winning 4-1 in the second leg. However, they couldn’t maintain that form in the semifinals, losing both legs to Borussia Dortmund. This season, PSG found themselves in 15th place after winning just four of their eight group-stage matches, needing a playoff to secure their spot in the knockout stages.
Enrique reflected on the turning point:
“I distinctly remember when things started to change, but it was during the Champions League when things were not going well, and I couldn’t accept it. I spoke to the players and the coaching staff and reminded them that we are one of Europe’s best teams.”
“Still, it wasn’t working perfectly, so I told them to stay calm and keep working. Since then, the players have been incredible. The Manchester City match was a turning point for us, where we were about to lose 2-0, but we came back to win 4-2.”
He also mentioned a moment from last season when he motivated the team by threatening to leave:
“You can’t define this with just one incident. It’s an everyday process. In the first year, we did well, but it wasn’t enough. I told them that if I didn’t see a different mentality in every training session, I would leave.”
“This year, every training session has been top quality. The players have been outstanding.”
PSG captain Marquinhos, who has been with the club since 2013, credited the coach for the team’s transformation.
“The coach has taken us step by step. When he arrived, he saw a lot needed to change, especially in our mentality. It doesn’t happen overnight. We’ve slowly progressed. Some matches have boosted our confidence, like against Manchester City and Liverpool. These matches have confirmed that we’re doing well.”
“Last season, we had ups and downs. We created many chances but couldn’t capitalize on them. The results this season show we’re on the right path.”
