Luis Enrique praises PSG's resilience in comeback win at Barcelona
BARCELONA :Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique hailed his depleted team's resilience and fight after their 2-1 comeback victory against Barcelona in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday.
The defending champions overcame an early setback and a host of injuries to secure a vital win at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium, marking their third consecutive triumph in the Catalan capital.
"It was an excellent match," Luis Enrique told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus. "When you see two teams playing clean, trying to hurt each other by playing football, it's a very complete match.
PSG fought back after an early Barca opener scored by Ferran Torres, with 19-year-old Senny Mayulu equalising from a strike in the 38th minute following a great run from the left by Nuno Mendes and then substitute Goncalo Ramos firing home the winner from a counter-attack in the dying minutes.
"They (Barcelona) were superior until they scored the goal, but we recovered. Nuno made an incredible play. I think we were better in the second half," added Luis Enrique.
PSG did it despite missing several key players including captain Marquinhos, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. That forced them to rely on young talent like Mayulu to fill the gaps.
"Mayulu has a lot of power, he brings so much to the table," Luis Enrique said. "He has a lot of quality and can play both inside and outside. I'm very lucky to have him."
The Spanish manager expressed pride in his team's ability to adapt and thrive despite facing so many adversities in hostile territory.
"We played well," he said. "It was difficult at the beginning. They (Barcelona) have a lot of quality players. The first 20 minutes were tough, and we made mistakes. In the second half, we were better, and we deserved the win.
"I'm happy because the problems don't matter. It's an important victory. Playing against Barca is always difficult. This result is important for our confidence."
