Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique remained optimistic about his team's chances of reaching the final despite a disappointing 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
"The football can be unpredictable. Sometimes it's spectacular, and other times, it's like tonight. We would have preferred a different outcome, but overall, it was a closely contested match," said the Spaniard in an interview with Canal Plus.
Although PSG dominated possession and had more goal attempts, they were thwarted by poor finishing and perhaps a bit of misfortune, as both Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi struck the woodwork in the same sequence during the second half.
"No one said reaching the Champions League semi-finals would be easy. The mood in the dressing room is subdued. We had a moment where we hit both posts," Luis Enrique remarked.
Despite this setback, PSG's track record offers encouragement. They've only lost five games this season and have previously overcome deficits, such as defeating Barcelona in the quarterfinals after trailing in the first leg.
Looking ahead to the return leg in Paris, PSG's captain Marquinhos emphasised the importance of capitalising on scoring opportunities, especially after missing clear chances in the away match.
"While playing here is always tough, we've proven in the past that we can turn things around, especially with the support of our fans at home. The atmosphere will be different, and we need to seize our chances," Marquinhos stated.
However, concerns arose as defender Lucas Hernandez sustained an injury during the match, prompting his substitution in the first half. Luis Enrique expressed worry about the severity of the injury, hinting that it could be serious based on initial observations.
