“Happy holidays to you as well, Luis Enrique. It seemed like things were getting quite tense for a moment, as his team Paris Saint-Germain was on the verge of a disappointing group stage in the only tournament that truly holds significance for them. Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle were both in the lead, and despite their strong efforts, the French champions were struggling to keep their coach from facing the one outcome they surely did not want.”
As the jokes about the crackers were starting to form, Paris was rescued from a reminder of their past by a representation of their present and future. Kylian Mbappé assisted in the tying goal scored by the impressive 17-year-old midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery. Despite Milan’s late goal in Tyneside causing tense moments, Luis Enrique’s team advanced due to their better head-to-head record.
Disaster avoided. Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Despite being a young, nervous, ever-changing and occasionally exciting team, there were encouraging signs of progress at the end of a pleasantly unpredictable and often chaotic group stage.
Luis Enrique stated that his team is brand new, with 11 new players and a new staff, all located on a new campus. He did not apologize for instructing his players to maintain possession of the ball in the final moments of the game, as a draw would be enough. He has been coaching teams at the highest level for 12 years and has seen improvement in all of them over time. He believes that by February, his team will be in a good position.
It is interesting to note that many of the traditional critiques of Paris are now irrelevant in the current era after Messi and Neymar. Since Luis Enrique’s arrival in the summer, he has presented a clear and well-defined vision for the club. This is not a team focused on extravagant stars or a flashy television show, but rather a modern and dynamic unit that values youth, speed, movement, and enjoyment. Gone are the days of defending with only eight players. With Lee Kang-in, Vitinha, and Zaïre-Emery, Paris now boasts one of the most thrilling midfields in Europe, full of energy, agility, precision, and with an average age of under 21.
Despite their underlying imperfections, small mistakes, occasional lack of unity, and struggles with defensive set pieces, Luis Enrique’s team would have faced unfairness if they were eliminated here. They were victims of both their wastefulness in scoring and a difficult draw, rather than any major structural issues. Of course, a team with such abundant resources should never settle for just qualifying. However, there are indications of potential, advancement, and a shift away from a superficial, stagnant Hollywood era towards something more genuine and thrilling.
No one personifies the essence of the new era better than Zaïre-Emery. Originally from Romainville in the outskirts of Paris, just a few bus stops away from Bondy where his teammates Mbappé and Randal Kolo Muani grew up, Zaïre-Emery is a rare talent who appears to have entered the professional world fully developed, with all the necessary skills and abilities. He excels both defensively and offensively, and in addition to scoring a goal, he controlled the game in the second half. He effectively shut down Salih Ozcan’s presence in the Dortmund midfield, displayed impressive passing abilities with both feet, and made dynamic runs into open spaces with the restless energy of youth.
In contrast, Dortmund were not efficient in their performance. This is a recurring issue for them. Even in games where they have a comfortable lead, they still manage to appear wasteful. However, this can also be seen as a testament to their energetic and creative style of play. They never give up and continue to create opportunities, even in seemingly lost causes. Despite their inconsistent performances in the Bundesliga, they seem to thrive in this particular competition. Despite already securing qualification, they approached their game against Paris with determination and excitement, scoring the first goal through Karim Adeyemi and missing out on other potential chances.
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The reason they were leading in the beginning was mostly due to Niklas Süle’s incredible save on the goal line during the first half. This caused Mbappé to do a dramatic double-take, as he had already gotten past the goalkeeper and was about to celebrate.
During the first half, Bradley Barcola and Kolo Muani both had near misses, while Mats Hummels failed to score with a straightforward header just before halftime. At this stage, Newcastle was in the lead, and when Adeyemi scored after an error by Achraf Hakimi, Paris’s mission became even more urgent.
Fortunately, Paris is home to some of the most highly driven and determined football players in the world. On this particular occasion, it was Mbappé who stood out as a relentless and intimidating force, creating an opportunity by skillfully maneuvering past a nervous Marius Wolf on the left wing and setting up Barcola for a clever flick. The shot was ultimately demolished by Zaïre-Emery from a distance of 18 yards.
There were additional opportunities – a disallowed goal by Mbappé for being offside, a fantastic chance for Marco Reus towards the end that could have secured Paris’s spot in the Europa League. However, after everything settled, Luis Enrique and his team had managed to do what was necessary: providing some solace, though not complete happiness.
Source: theguardian.com
