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PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi opens up on Luis Enrique's future as manager following their Champions League exit at the hands of Borussia Dortmund

6 months ago 35

By Samuel Draper

Published: 09:11 BST, 8 May 2024 | Updated: 09:52 BST, 8 May 2024

PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has opened up on Luis Enrique's future as manager following the club's Champions League exit on Tuesday.

Mats Hummels scored the only goal at the Parc Des Princes as Borussia Dortmund won 1-0 on the night, and 2-0 on aggregate, to reach the final at Wembley on June 1.

It has ended the French champions' hopes of European glory for another 12 months, and it has raised speculation over the role of Enrique, who has managed the Ligue 1 club since July of last year.


Al-Khelaifi was asked whether Enrique's job was in immediate danger following their Champions League defeat - but the 50-year-old Qatari businessman shot back with intensity.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Al-Khelaifi said: 'Are you serious with this question? Honestly, do you know and understand some football?

PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has opened up on Luis Enrique's future as the manager

Enrique's position came under question following PSG's Champions League exit on Tuesday

'We are building a long term project with the youngest squad in Europe, future will be bright. We will keep going.'

Enrique, who turned 54 on Wednesday, previously lifted the trophy as Barcelona manager at the end of the 2014-15 season.

He signed a two-year deal with PSG last summer, and is now expected to lead their bid for Champions League glory once again, whilst retaining their grip on the French league. 

In a post-match interview with Canal Plus, Al-Khelaifi lamented his side’s failure to score against Borussia Dortmund, having come close on multiple occasions across both legs. 

He said: 'We are very disappointed and sad about the result. I think we deserved better. In total, we hit the post on four occasions tonight and twice last week – the ball didn’t want to go in. It’s difficult.

'We wanted to win but congratulations to Dortmund. We really thought we could get to the final. We were the better team. I am proud of our team, the youngest in Europe. It’s the third time in five years that we’ve made the semi-finals. Of course, this wasn’t our objective, but it’s football – sometimes it isn’t fair.'

French newspaper L'Equipe handed Kylian Mbappe a rating of just two out of ten for his performance in the second leg on Tuesday night, whilst Enrique was given a three. 

Kylian Mbappe stormed out of a post-match interview following a question on Real Madrid 

Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels scored the game's only goal in their second-leg victory

Mbappe stormed out of an interview after the game when a reporter asked if he would be supporting Real Madrid against Bayern Munich in the second semi-final, which takes place on Wednesday night - with the French star's departure to the Bernabeu looking imminent.  

PSG have a trio of Ligue 1 games remaining this season against Toulouse, Nice and Metz, before the French Cup final against Lyon on May 25. 

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