PSG have been toughened up for the Champions League’s later stages: Luis Enrique

PARIS – Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain have fought through a tougher schedule than any other side to reach the last 16 in this season’s competition, coach Luis Enrique said after they squeezed past AS Monaco on Feb 25.

PSG were held 2-2 at the Parc des Princes in the second leg of their knockout play-off tie but advanced 5-4 on aggregate.

Enrique did not hide his disappointment with his team’s performance, notably in the first half when they went a goal behind.

“Did I like what I saw? No, no, I didn’t like it, but that’s football,” the Spaniard said.

“We had an incredible schedule during the group stage, then we continued with these play-offs against Monaco – they’re a great team.

“That’s the competition of the Champions League, you have to accept it. I think in the first half we were very imprecise, but in the second half we were in control, we scored both goals.

“It was the perfect result, but in the last few minutes we conceded that goal and it was dangerous at the end. But we’re happy. We know that to win the Champions League you need competition and we’re experts at that level.”

PSG next face either Barcelona or Chelsea. That will be determined on Feb 27 when the draw for the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will be made.

“If there’s one team that has played against good teams and had the toughest group, it’s clearly us,” Enrique added.

PSG’s opponents were Atalanta, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Athletic Bilbao, Newcastle United, Sporting Lisbon and Tottenham Hotspur before the two-legged play-off with Monaco.

“We’re used to playing these kinds of matches against any team, and of course we can improve, but tonight we faced a very high-level opponent who demonstrated their individual and collective qualities.

“But next time it will be even easier, with Chelsea or Barca, right?” he joked.

“But if there’s one team ready, it’s ours.”

Meanwhile, Italian giants Juventus almost pulled off a stunning comeback from their 5-2 first-leg deficit against Galatasaray, but extra-time goals from Victor Osimhen and Baris Yilmaz gave the Turks a 7-5 aggregate victory.

Ten-man Juventus’ hopes of pulling off a stunning comeback came up short despite beating Galatasaray 3-2 after extra time in Turin.

Captain Manuel Locatelli gave Juve a lifeline with a first-half penalty as the Italians dominated.

But their hopes of progressing took a huge blow when English centre-back Lloyd Kelly was harshly dismissed early in the second half after catching Yilmaz with his studs as he jumped for a header.

Federico Gatti scored via right-back Pierre Kalulu’s wicked cross and US midfielder Weston McKennie levelled the tie eight minutes from time with a back-post header to force extra time.

But Osimhen and Yilmaz’s extra-period goals sent the Turks through, leaving Locatelli to admit: “I feel like crying.”

“All I know is that we put our souls into that match. We gave everything we had,” he said.

“We’re on the right track with the coach and I think you can see that, even if we’ve lost in our recent matches.” REUTERS, AFP