´The actual competitors begins now´ – Luis Enrique and PSG eyeing Membership World Cup glory

Luis Enrique insisted that his Paris Saint-Germain group have been motivated to construct on their 2024-25 success as they eye Membership World Cup glory.

PSG booked their place within the final 16 of the competitors with a 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on Monday, because of objectives from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi.

The Champions League winners completed high of Group B, and have been joined within the subsequent spherical by Botafogo, regardless of their 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid within the different group sport.

Luis Enrique’s group have been worthy winners towards Seattle, registering an anticipated objectives (xG) complete of two.12 from their 15 photographs to the Sounders’ 0.6 from their seven makes an attempt.

PSG responded to their shock defeat to Botafogo final outing, and did so by dominating possession, one thing they’ve completed all through the primary part of the competitors.

Certainly, the Parisiens have held 73% possession over their three group stage matches to this point on the Membership World Cup, finishing 1,500 extra passes than their opponents.

They’ll face the runners-up of Group A of their subsequent match, with the opportunity of a reunion with Lionel Messi, whose Inter Miami group presently occupy that place.

And regardless of making their first look on the Membership World Cup, Luis Enrique believes his facet have what it takes to go all the way in which in the USA.

“It’s a contest the place it’s important to be able to go to Atlanta, Philadelphia, and even elsewhere,” Luis Enrique stated.

“We wish to go so far as potential, and I feel the gamers are prepared. The actual competitors begins now, and it is going to be very tough.

“After every match, we’ve to see if we qualify or not. We’re motivated!”

Regardless of their victory, Luis Enrique took the time to specific his frustration on the enjoying floor at Lumen Area.

“What issues is the state of the pitch. And I say that right this moment, although we gained. We’re a good distance from European stadiums,” Luis Enrique added.

“They’re good, however the ball bounces like a rabbit. In the present day, because it was a man-made pitch earlier than, and now a pure pitch, it’s important to water it by hand and it dries out in 10 minutes.

“It’s an apparent drawback, it’s not an excuse. We will’t play on the degree we wish to. And FIFA has to take that under consideration. Not solely in stadiums, but in addition throughout coaching camps.

“I can’t think about an NBA court docket with holes. We play in stadiums the place the ball appears to be like extra like a rabbit than a ball. If we’ve to criticise, it deserves to be modified.”

For Atletico and Diego Simeone, in the meantime, their match got here to an finish regardless of beating Brazilian facet Botafogo on the Rose Bowl on Monday.

The LaLiga giants knew they wanted to beat their opponents by three objectives to advance, however have been solely capable of finding one, which got here from Antoine Griezmann within the 87th minute.

The end result noticed Botafogo change into the primary group to concede only one purpose of their first two conferences with European opponents within the Membership World Cup, together with the earlier format.

For Atletico, they did not advance from the group stage of a serious match for a 3rd time below Simeone, after earlier exits from the Champions League in 2017-18 and 2022-23.

3 – Atletico Madrid have did not advance from the group stage for the third time below Diego Pablo Simeone, having failed to take action within the Champions League within the 2017/18 and 2022/23 seasons each. Setback#AtleticodeMadrid #ClubWorldCup2025 pic.twitter.com/dxo0CkUphM

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 23, 2025

And talking after the sport, Simeone conceded that their 4-0 thrashing by PSG of their opening sport of the competitors proved expensive.

“The match towards PSG ended up dooming us, the place each choice at all times went towards us. We gained two out of three matches, and sadly, we’re out,” Simeone stated.

“We’re calm, and we’re very clear on what we have to enhance, and all of this helps us.”

Griezmann, in the meantime, didn’t mince his phrases, saying: “We now have to have a look at ourselves and see that typically we’re not on the degree we have to be, and we’ve to repair that.”