During the press conference following the brilliant victory of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) against Real Madrid in the semifinal of the World Cup of Clubs (4-0), coach Luis Enrique detailed the versatile role of his side, Ashraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, in his game system. He stressed the freedom granted to Hakimi, able to evolve to different offensive and defensive positions, and the mobility of Mendes, essential for the occupation of space during offensive play phases. Enrique highlighted the importance of the technical and physical quality of its sides, which allow the team to penetrate the repair surface and defend effectively. He sees this approach as a faithful representation of a comprehensive and general football concept.

PSG’s performance against Real Madrid was particularly notable, with an undeniable dominance from the first minutes of the game. Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso recognized the superiority of the Paris team, pointing out that they faced a team in very good shape, able to compete at a high level. He stressed the continued progress of the MTP and the need for his team to be self-critical in order to improve and compete at a higher level in the future. Alonso also praised the current dominance of the PSG over global football, including their performance in the final phase of the Champions League and at the World Cup of Clubs.

In the mixed zone, the Portuguese midfielder Vitinha expressed his enthusiasm for a historic season for the Parisian club. He stressed the positive dynamics of the team, the good understanding between the players and the willingness to continue to progress. Vitinha claimed that the PSG is able to write the story by winning the World Cup Clubs, and that it will be difficult for another club to reproduce such a feat in the future. He stressed the team’s total commitment to the final and the willingness to give the best of themselves to achieve this goal.