The Farmers League, the British farmers’ championship, salutes them. After Newcastle (2-1) was beaten Tuesday in Marseille, Tottenham fell victim to PSG’s lead on Wednesday night at the Parc des Princes. Having taken the lead twice, Spurs finally surrendered (5-3), especially thanks to Vitinha’s hat-trick. Beyond that anecdote, PSG with twelve points and second place in the general ranking of the competition, behind Arsenal, is already through to the rest of the playoffs or better yet, the Top 8, and that is what they are really aiming for. Luis Enrique, Paris coach, attended the press conference after the match.
Was the second half, with four goals scored, your main satisfaction?
LUIS ENRIQUE. There are no easy matches in the Champions League. Tottenham defended very well in the first half. We had to get two goals back. It’s very complicated, very difficult. We played a complete match. I want to congratulate our supporters because the atmosphere was great when there were difficulties. The team can only have this mentality afterwards. We are very happy to get these twelve points and almost certainly be ranked 24th. We saw last season how difficult it is to get into the top 24.
A word about Vitinha?
He was as usual: sensational, out of level. We are very happy to have him here. The best thing he did today was try to score after making a mistake. These are the personalities we love. Our three midfielders were outstanding.
Is concentration key when you recently said you feared a split over individual trophies?
I have to be careful about what I say in French which is not my language. When I say that, the goal is to stay focused on the future. My player is. I will not accept that there is no mentality to play at PSG. I don’t mind the players’ behavior so far. I never had until today.
Did Parks help you win?
Tonight (this Wednesday), was a demonstration of what a true supporter is. The first half was not good for us. We’ve got it covered. I see their continued support.
Is being the best striker in the Champions League with 19 goals the main reason for your satisfaction?
We have twelve points in the Champions League, we are in first place in Ligue 1 and we have not played a single game with the whole team in good shape. This never happened. We didn’t see goals from Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, all the strikers. That’s appropriate. The team continues to grow.
Why did you found Quentin Ndjantou?
He sens – sa – tion – nel (he cuts the adjective). He keeps the ball as a number 9 but at the same time, he has a lot of mobility, he plays everywhere. He shows his personality. He’s a complete novice! Without going through the transfer window. I love the way he plays his role. We are ahead of other teams: we have recruited
What did you think of Lucas Chevalier on the first two goals?
Let me remember, I’m tired. Firstly, our defense was poor because the full-back was alone and Pacho was alone in the middle. The second is set pieces. The third is an assist from Vitinha.
Is the British championship still that strong?
I don’t want to answer. I’m not here to judge the team. England have a very high level but there are still a lot of games to be played. Arsenal is in first place in the league and Champions League. We have the most difficult schedule.
