Botafogo secured the shock result of the Club World Cup so far overnight as they beat reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain and Luis Enrique spoke out afterwards
Luis Enrique has suggested that Botafogo defended the best out of any side they have faced this season – including Arsenal. The Brazilian side secured the standout result of the Club World Cup so far overnight as they downed reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Igor Jesus – who looks set to sign for the Gunners’ Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest this summer – scored the only goal of the game to secure the win. But it was a staunch defensive performance from Botafogo that saw them claim victory.
They had just four shots to PSG’s 16 throughout the game and speaking after the full-time whistle, boss Enrique claimed that their defensive performance was the best that the French giants had encountered all year long.
He said: “Botafogo was the team that defended us best all season, obviously in our League and in the Champions League. They made a low block from the start and were very efficient, united. We didn’t generate as many chances as usual.
“We’re used to playing against deep blocks, but it’s very difficult. Congratulations to them. In terms of attitude, we were very good. The result shouldn’t erase everything. We have to look at what we did well and what we can improve.”
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PSG took on a number of Premier League sides in the Champions League this season including Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa. Both the Gunners and Arne Slot’s side kept clean sheets against the French side – Arsenal winning their group stage meeting at the Emirates 2-0, while Liverpool won 1-0 in their last-16 meeting at the Parc des Princes.
Ironically, Botafogo owner John Textor claimed that his side had emulated some of their Premier League contemporaries to secure their shock victory. He said: “PSG is the best team in the world. And they were probably the best team tonight.
“But we played with heart and maybe we wanted more tonight. It’s a privilege for us to play against them in this format. To show that Brazilian teams can play football. We played like an English team today.”
Textor was actually at the heart of a brutal jibe from Botafogo following their win. The Brazilian side shared a graphic of Textor wearing a cowboy hat on social media with the caption: “The American dream. We guess the cowboy won…”
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It referenced a row he had with PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi over Ligue 1 streaming rights deal, the Qatari labelling his opposite number as a ‘cowboy’. But Textor insists he does not hold any bad blood.
He said: “Nasser did some very important things. The unity we have is not fake. There is a crisis in French football and it is important to be together. He is a man with a great knowledge of the game, in France and around it.
“He has a good sense of humour, he liked my cowboy hat. I told him: ‘In real life, I never wear a cowboy hat’. Now we are together for the good of French football and we need it to be like this.”
Textor added: “I didn’t play against Nasser tonight. I was sitting on a chair, I wasn’t on the pitch. Nasser was sitting on a chair next to me and he wasn’t on the pitch. Our Botafogo team beat that team, but I didn’t beat Nasser, and Nasser wasn’t trying to beat me.”
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