Luis Enrique hailed a 'beautiful victory' after a convincing 4-0 win against Real Madrid and praised his best player Demélé's return.
After an overwhelming 4-0 win over Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique hailed a 'beautiful victory' as his team advanced to the Club World Cup final.
“It is a beautiful victory and we are happy to be in the final,” said Luis Enrique. “We are one game away from making history for Paris and for a French club by winning every competition we have taken part in. That means a lot for us and for our fans.”
Ousmane Dembélé missed the whole group stage after suffering a thigh injury while playing for France, and he was confined to substitute appearances in the knockout rounds until making his first start of the tournament on Wednesday against the the Spanish giants.
He made an instant effect at MetLife Stadium, assisting Fabián Ruiz on the opening goal in the sixth minute and then putting one in the net three minutes later.
Luis Enrique lauded his star player's return and expressed optimism that he would be available for Sunday's Club World Cup final.
"I'd like to highlight that this is the first game that I had my best player, Dembélé, at his best," he told reporters. "We'd seen him very little throughout this tournament, this is a critical player, a unique player, a player that every fan wants to see... hopefully we can have him for the final."
Dembélé showcased another outstanding performance on the right wing by scoring his team's second goal of the evening, his 35th in 52 games for PSG. Reiterating his earlier statements, Luis Enrique put the France international as a top contender for the Ballon d'Or.
“For me, when it comes to the Ballon d’Or, I must say that the players who can win it have to not just score goals and set up goals but help their team to win trophies,” said the Spaniard. “Ousmane Dembele does those things more than any other player.”
The Club World Cup final is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium, where PSG will face Chelsea.
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Image credit:- Paris Saint-Germain Football Club