Luis Enrique joins elite quartet with Champions League title
PSG coach says Champions League title ‘even bigger’ than last year’s crown
Carlo Ancelotti, Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane, Pep Guardiola.
On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique joined this elite quartet of coaches to win three European Cups, an achievement that cemented the Spaniard’s legacy in the annals of club football history.
Enrique described his team's second UEFA Champions League triumph in Budapest as "even bigger" than their maiden European title a year ago, after the French club edged Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal on penalties, despite enjoying nearly 75 per cent possession in regulation and extra-time.
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"It is even bigger because we knew of the difficulties of playing against Arsenal, and for us as a team and a city it is incredible to win it," the Spaniard told broadcaster Canal Plus amid on-pitch celebrations at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
"I think we have deserved it over the course of the season even if the final was really close-fought," added Enrique, as PSG become the first team since Real Madrid between 2016 and 2018 to retain the Champions League trophy.
"It is a different emotion this time, it is incredible that we have done it back to back," said captain Marquinhos, who has been at PSG since 2013.
"We showed how much we wanted it. The coach said right at the start of the season that it is hard to win it, but it is even harder to win it twice.
"That was the objective for us and that was the mentality we showed today."
Ousmane Dembele, the Ballon d'Or holder whose strike on the night saw him end the season with 20 goals in total, said: "It is exceptional, it's a great night. We have worked hard this season in order to do the 'back-to-back'. It is magnificent. We are so pleased and we will savour this tonight.
"It was difficult. But the whole season has been difficult. We had to deal with a lot of things but in the end we have won another Champions League and we are all delighted."
PSG winger Desire Doue said: "We are so, so proud, so happy, so grateful. As a team, as a family, I think we deserve that... look at the fans, we are so happy."
Midfielder Fabian Ruiz added: "It was Real Madrid and now it's us too. They defended all through the game and football is fair... today the right team won."
